


Quicksand

by fixitforme



Series: Silver Lining [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Original Character(s), Porn With Plot, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2019-07-11 10:50:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 58,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15970802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fixitforme/pseuds/fixitforme
Summary: Koda Kotokami has never been one to sit still. As she desperately runs away from everything she’s ever known-searching for much needed answers about her life and past, she ends up crossing paths with the one person that has finally caught up to her. Sir Crocodile.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *REWRITTEN AS OF 6/10/19*

Time in Impel Down moves at such a crawl it borders on nonexistent. The days here are spent in unbearable monotony, often the most exciting event of the week being a change in meal schedule. 

But it isn’t starvation or brutality or rioting that gives the prison it’s reputation. It’s the silence. The stagnation. Living such a sedentary life day in and day out often drove the prisoners to madness all on their own; which in turn, kept the facility open for plenty of vacancies. 

The ever expanding stretch of darkness and silence seems to increase tenfold with each level until you reach the very bottom, where there is virtually nothing to see or hear at all. 

It’s here that Koda Kotokami inadvertently finds herself living, shackled with sea prism stone in order to make certain that stays the case. The gradual desensitization of this sedentary lifestyle is one that she still can’t wrap her head around, despite having given up on any efforts of trying to escape and having virtually no energy to do so whatsoever. She’s never been so immobile in her life- not since before...

Koda frowns, wriggling in her restraints as though that would stop the impending memories flooding her thoughts. The chains clank loudly against the concrete slab in her cell-which the warden has enough sense of humor to call a bed. The sound causes a few to whip their heads in her direction, excited at the sudden prospect of something stimulating. But they simply sigh in defeat when they realize only more boredom is in store for them today. 

Somewhere in the distance a drop of water falls from the ceiling into an awaiting puddle beneath it, the sound echoing around the walls eerily. It was the 210th drop that’s fallen today. Or was it 211? Koda’s lost count by now. 

While she finds the sound of water comforting, it places some of the more anxious prisoners on edge. Nearly every criminal at this level has a devil fruit of some sort, Koda included, and they were all well below sea level. If there happened to be a leak somewhere, it would only be a short matter of minutes before they were up to their heads in water. 

It didn’t sound like a bad deal, all things considered. 

The sudden shriek of gears creaking to life inside the elevator shaft sends several pairs of eyes darting toward the end of the hall, yet again awaiting for some sort of monumental event. All except Koda, however. Her silver eyes remain focused on the stones beneath her, watching the lines and patterns they form with what appeared to be great interest. 

There is one other pair of eyes that also finds the presence of a sudden visitor uninteresting. Koda senses their gaze boring into her. These eyes feel cold and calculating, darting across her features as they dissect each facet of her expression. 

Koda doesn’t pay them any mind. She doesn’t have any idea what they may find so interesting about her, and she really couldn’t care less. She’s more than aware of how many pirates and criminals she’s fought to be where she is now. It wouldn’t surprise her in the slightest to know that one of her former enemies is locked away before her. 

Level 6 of Impel Down is relatively quiet most days. Visitors at this level are practically unheard of, outside of the regular shift change between guards. But an untimely visit from the warden and his chosen guests? It was more than rare. It had never happened before. 

The guards anxiously stand at attention while at their posts, nervously primping the collars of their uniforms to meet the proper standards. The heavy steps of Magellan echo down the corridor, causing a few of the newer prisoners to shrink back in their cells. The warden’s guests chatter excitedly upon recognizing a few most wanted criminals, crowding the bars as though they were children at a zoo and not at a maximum security prison. 

The warden’s footsteps come to a resounding halt just short of Koda’s cell, gesturing to his guests as though she were some trophy put out on display.

“One of the few women we have here in Impel Down and by far the most dangerous. Koda Kotokami- formerly of the Kotokami pirates- was personally delivered here by Admiral Kizaru himself,” He scoffs at the absurdity of the story, despite witnessing the event with his own eyes. “She nearly destroyed his entire fleet. They say she stood her ground for a full day before collapsing from exhaustion.” 

One hell of an introduction. Any pirate looking to make a name for themselves would take it with pride, though Koda would hardly waste energy trying to hold her head up for what was proving to be a rather boring conversation. 

She continues to stare down toward the ground then; examining the frayed ends of her black and white prison uniform. It has never fit her quite right. It was much closer to her size when she first arrived, but has quickly started to swallow her as she loses more weight. While only having been imprisoned in Impel Down a mere three weeks, it is still apparent just how little she’s eating. 

“Pretty little thing, isn’t she?” One of the male guests chides, much to the amusement of his associate. It was obvious enough how much this man loves to flaunt his wealth- what with his gaudy attire and highly unnecessary walking stick, which appears to have a blade hidden inside. He leans in close to the bars, tapping against the iron with long, skeleton-like fingers until she reluctantly meets his grotesque smile. 

“It’s hard to believe you ran with such a tough crew. You know, if Magellan here allows me to post your bail, I’d been more than happy to take you to my home to be an innocent young housewife. You can be done with this wretched life of piracy.” 

The shackles attached to the prisoner in the cell adjacent from her rattle as they unwind from his lap, as though they were personally offended at the remark. Koda can’t begin to imagine why, other than perhaps this visitor has interrupted their nap. 

But to the surprise of nearly everyone, this does at least elicit a response from her. Though not one this pompous, self-absorbed cretin is hoping to hear. 

Koda lets her head fall forward as she relaxes. With a short, wry laugh she replies- “I’m not able to leave this life behind even if I tried.” 

Magellan huffs in irritation, clearly taken back by his guest’s unreasonable and ill-timed request. “She was the vice captain on the main Kotokami ship and possesses the power of the Quick-Quick devil fruit. I expect she’s grown quite accustomed to this life of hers.”

He glares at her, showing his distaste with an exasperated growl. “And it’s here she’s going to stay for the foreseeable future.”

The warden turns on his heel with a sharp click of his tongue. But his expression immediately brightens upon striding over to the side of the room. “Ah yes Princess, I see you’ve found our reason for venturing down this far.” 

Magellan seems happy to rid himself of their earlier conversation as he joins his other guest, though unfortunately Koda can’t find a way to escape it herself. This arrogant, vile man insists on making his case once more, despite having been told there wasn’t a chance in hell she would be leaving any time soon. 

“A pretty girl like you has no business in a disgusting place like this,” He remarks confidently, revealing a sharp-toothed grin. All that was missing was a pair of horns. “You do know what these beasts do to helpless women in prison, don’t y-” 

“Are you finished?” The voice cuts through this irritating proposition like a knife, silencing him in an instant. She’s almost certain it’s the prisoner who moved just moments ago, and he all but confirms her suspicions a second later when his shackles fall in a heap to the floor. He’s clearly standing, though Koda can’t see his face from where she’s imprisoned. The lighting on this level is poor to say the least, and was done so for a reason. “I’ve heard enough of your pathetic begging for one day.” 

The man whirls around, fully prepared to unleash what was sure to be a rather unintimidating threat. But once he’s turned around...he quickly swallows his tongue. 

Even behind bars the intent to kill radiates from the prisoner in the cell behind them. Koda’s pest of an admirer can only gawk as he struggles for words, taking a few steps backward for his own safety. He finally manages a low, “Enjoy your stay.” in her direction before anxiously regrouping with the others. 

Magellan snaps his fingers at the guards nervously shaking near the entrance to the staircase, sending them scurrying over as quick as their legs would carry them. 

“Portgas D. Ace,” He says evenly. “You two will need to prepare the proper security checks for the prisoner transfer as soon as possible. He is to be delivered to the Marines for execution at nine in the morning. Sharp.” 

Portgas. That couldn’t be a coincidence. Koda remembers meeting a woman named Portgas years ago; fair skinned and warm, always kind and gentle. 

But the glimpse into her past is gone a second later. It blurs back into the recesses of her mind, along with all her other pleasant memories. Roger. Father-no. Rayleigh. Where had it all gone wrong? 

She knows of Firefist Ace, the feared commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. But had certainly never heard his first name before. If he really is her son...they would be two of a kind wouldn’t they?

He isn’t at all what Koda expects when she sees him. Just days prior a handful of prison guards escorted him to this wretched hole in the middle of the sea, far from any hopes of a rescue. Far from anyone that will truly care. He’s still a child, really. A lost, skinny child who doesn’t deserve the twisted fate he’s been given. If the Marines had any knowledge of her own troubled past, she would be on the execution stand next to him without a doubt. 

The guards click their boots together once their orders have been given, which happens to coincide with the shift change schedule. The two quickly disappear up the staircase, while the two new guards move to fill their places. The warden gives them a brief synopsis of what’s occurred since their arrival, ushering his guests back toward the elevator in a hurried fashion. 

He must feel it too. The atmosphere on this floor has drastically shifted. Better to move the important civilians before there’s a riot on his hands. 

The ear-piercing shriek of the elevator gears lurching into place signals their uninvited guests are finally leaving. However, it isn’t until that awful screech is well out of earshot before the prisoners breathe a sigh of relief. 

Well, except for one. 

From what Koda can gather, it sounds as though one of Magellan’s guests has a personal interest in Portgas D. Ace as well. The way his hushed voice frantically tries to make sense of what just happened- she isn’t sure if he’s received good news or bad. 

Another voice chimes in soon after. One she recognizes. It’s Jinbei; former shichibukai and an old business associate of Kotokami’s. He can be trusted, which is more than can be said for the rest of the prisoners on this level. 

“Idiot,” Ace hisses through his teeth. “This is just like him. Running in head first without thinking.” 

Koda slowly inches closer to the iron bars, watching the shadows of their huddled bodies attempting to speak in secret. She can only make out certain words, but even with context she isn’t sure she would make much sense of it anyway. 

And unfortunately, she isn’t given a chance to try. 

“Kotokami. That’s quite an interesting surname.” 

Today is not Koda’s day, it seems. After weeks of near maddening silence and not so patiently waiting for something stimulating, her wish has finally been granted. At the worst possible moment. 

She knows it’s more than ironic that she craves that never ending void of silence again. She doesn’t care. Anything to make herself invisible again. 

“I can only assume it’s one in the same as your...captain’s,” The way his voice lazily drags along the syllables of the word makes her blood boil; as though he’s privy to a joke she isn’t aware of. “But it’s odd-“ 

Koda feels her throat run dry. He knows. 

She can sense it between them; this unknown connection she can’t quite place. But this voice doesn’t sound familiar to her at all. And anyone that’s been close to Kotokami is-

She swallows. Even in her own mind she can’t say it. 

“In all the time I’ve known him, he’s never mentioned he has a daughter.” 

The underlying threat in his voice is clear. The threat to expose her for what she is. Why? Why now? 

The irritating sound of his sea stone chains dragging across the cement fills the tense air between them. He’s coming closer. As close as the barrier between them will allow. 

The deep orange glow of the lamps sporadically hung along the walls provide little lighting for her to see, but it’s more than enough when the prisoner finally steps into view. 

Her entire body goes cold. The hairs at the nape of her neck stand on end. 

It’s been years since they’ve seen one another, and yet she could recognize those eyes anywhere. They’re different than what they used to be; scarred and jaded. But they’re still his all the same. 

She knows she looks just as worn down. Defeated. It feels like lifetimes since they’d spoken to each other last. 

All those stubborn memories of the past begin to resurface; with lingering touches and soft smiles. Secret meetings and whispered words. 

Sir Crocodile is a man that demands the attention of those he deems worthy of it, and certainly seems pleased that he’s successfully gained hers. He wears that familiar, tight-lipped smile, making the long serrated scar across his cheeks crinkle with the expression. 

The scar is completely new to her, making him near unrecognizable at first. The world knows Crocodile as a scarred and merciless savage, fueled by his own lust for power. Years ago it would have seemed laughable to her. 

Koda grits her teeth, desperately trying to hold back the tears that want to fall. She can’t give him the satisfaction. Not after what he’s done. This is his fault. His fault dammit! Everything she had was taken from her; a cataclysmic disaster with Crocodile standing at the epicenter. 

Seeing that smug grin makes her lunge forward, though her own shackles prevent her from going too far. They vibrate angrily against her skin as she tries to use her devil fruit to no avail. She can only settle for throwing a deadly glare in his direction. 

“Well, now. After all these years apart, and you still don’t seem thrilled to see me. What is it this time?”

Koda seethes, pulling at her restraints with all the strength she can muster. “Don’t act like you don’t know.” 

The grin quickly falls from his face, replaced with that neutral, emotionless expression that’s permanently etched into his features. He gives her a questioning look, before opening his mouth and closing it again. He doesn’t know where to begin. And this isn’t exactly the best place for an explanation either. 

The two guards posted near the staircase come barreling down the hall at the commotion, ordering them both to step away from the bars. Koda does so gladly. Anything to stay hidden. Crocodile, however, not appreciating the fact that he now has to follow orders, waits several moments before resting against the far wall of his own cell. 

He’ll wait patiently for the right time to explain himself. It’s not as though she’s going anywhere. If he can find a way out of this prison for the both of them, that would certainly give him as good of an opportunity as any. 

And lucky for him, that opportunity was going to present itself very soon.


	2. Chapter 2

“Your brother?” Jinbei says quietly. 

“Luffy. Damned idiot.” 

Koda’s eyes narrowed. She had certainly heard that name before, but hadn’t the slightest idea where. 

“Your brother is Straw Hat Luffy? Huh, small world.” Crocodile says lazily. 

Koda smiles widely. Now she remembers. “That’s right, isn’t it? I did hear some rookie from the East Blue gave you a run for your money. Better watch yourself down here.” 

That pompous grin disappears from his face. “You plan on hiding behind the old man’s name the rest of your life or what?“ 

If looks could kill, the two of them would already be six feet under. The tension in the air was so thick that it radiated throughout the entire floor. A booming crash from above suddenly breaks their intense gaze. More guards vanished from their floor to offer back up to the upper levels. 

Portgas D. Ace wasn’t stupid. Koda could see the anguish in his eyes. He realized the inherit danger his brother was about to face as a result of his actions. She had never met Straw Hat Luffy, but he gathered quite a reputation for himself along the Grand Line. Reputations didn’t really amount to much here, however. 

“Jinbei,” He says softly. “I may not make it out of this alive. But if you see him, could you please take care of Luffy for me?” 

“Ace...” 

A flurry of guards suddenly appear at the front of Ace’s cell, guns aimed and ready to fire. Magellan appears from behind them, his body covered in thick gaseous poison. 

“We’re transferring you over to the Marines. Now.” 

Koda looks over to Jinbei, completely helpless as they drag Ace out of his cell. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for the kid and his poor brother wandering somewhere around the catacombs of the prison. 

Before they marched him out of Impel Down, Ace turns back to Jinbei, pleading with him again. Koda could hardly take it anymore. She silently decides that if she saw Straw Hat Luffy, she would do what she could to protect him. Though in this prison, he would have to overcome quite the obstacles just to reach her. 

As Ace and the warden’s figures fade into the shadows, the sounds of chaos above began to grow nearer. 

Koda grips the bars of her cell, the muscles in her legs twitching, begging to be used. 

“I’d like to see that brat show his face down here.” Crocodile says with a grin. 

Koda’s eyes snap up to meet his. “If we get out of here, you’re going to have to deal with me first.” 

He chuckles, that condescending smirk never leaving his face. “Well, well what’s gotten you all wound up? It’s been so long, I thought we could talk.” 

She lunges forward, her sea prism stone shackles vibrating as she tries to use her devil fruit powers to no avail. The chains bolted to the wall however, bent under the pressure. 

He sighed, resting his head in his palm. “You really are quite determined. And here I was glad to see you again.” 

A loud cacophony of voices break through the depths of level 6, the stone ceilings above cracking under whatever riot was raging on in the upper levels. A flurry of footsteps followed soon after, men and women shouting directions back and forth. 

“Ace!! I’m here to save you!” 

The prisoners look toward the sound, hoping to some god that this was their savior.

Crocodile’s grin somehow gets larger. “You just missed him, I’m afraid. But if you let me out, I’d be happy to clear a path for you.” 

“Is that-Crocoboy!” 

Crocodile cringed. He recognized that damn voice. 

“Ivankov.” Koda said coolly. “And Straw Hat Luffy, I presume.” She said with a small smile.

Ivankov’s face immediately lit up, rushing over to the bars of her cell to free her. “Koda-girl! My, did they have some big fish locked up down here.” His eyes wander over to Jinbei. “Quite literally.” 

Luffy growls at the sight of Crocodile. Koda smirked, taking a liking to the kid already. 

“Why the hell would I let you out after I worked that hard to put you in there?!” 

Crocodile chuckles, standing up and walking to the door of his cell. His shackles rattled in the air, echoing off the walls. He loomed over Straw Hat, his confidence never wavering. 

“I can destroy the ceiling to this damned prison. Let me out and I’ll clear a path for you, six levels high. 

Ivankov was finishing freeing Koda, sighing as he returned back to Luffy. “You would do anything to save Ace-boy right? You’ll need all the help you can get.” 

“But my friend, Vivi! He destroyed her country and-“

“I’ve no interest in that country anymore. I have my own reasons to visit Marineford.” 

Koda rubbed her wrists, red and raw from the constant chafing of the cuffs. Luffy finally concedes, allowing Crocodile to be set free on the condition that he would assist them in the rescue of Ace in Marineford. 

As Ivankov is removing the last shackle from Crocodile’s wrist, Koda begins to stretch out her legs. 

“I’m really sorry, kid. I’ll try to make this as fast as possible. But I meant what I said earlier. Now that we’re out, you’re going to need to deal with me.” 

Crocodile grins at her, flexing the fingers on his right hand. “You’re dead set on fighting me, eh? Well, lets not keep them waiting.” 

Koda glares at him, springing forward and promptly disappearing from their line of sight. 

Luffy covers his ears. “That...sound...”

“Koda Rayleigh has the ability to run faster than the speed of sound. She’s just broken the sound barrier.” Ivankov says, his mouth slightly agape. 

“Did you just say Rayleigh?!” Luffy tries to shout, but the aftershock of Koda’s movements drown out the noise. 

Crocodile growls, slamming his hand down to the ground to coat the floor with sand. It may not do much, but it should slow her down a fraction. He holds his hook in front of his face, using it as a makeshift shield as his eyes scan the floor, waiting for her to show herself. 

Koda reappears inches from his face, fist extended. He dodges, just barely, but she uses the momentum to propel herself forward on her hands, landing a kick against his left cheek. 

Luffy’s jaw drops as he watches Crocodile go flying backward, the sheer force knocking him into the cell block diagonal from them. 

“She’s so cool!” He shouts, his hands excitedly balled into fists. 

Crocodile shakily stands up, wiping the blood from his ear. So that’s how she was able to hit him. Breaking the sound barrier so close to him had caused his ears to bleed...and she had been counting on it. A flurry of sand appears in his palm and he lunges forward at the sight of her shadow, slicing everything in his path with his sand sword. He knew she was most likely behind him already, but the debris that was flung in to the air from his attack would cause her to slow down. He at least needed to be able to see her. 

“Hiding behind your rocks?” Her voice calls from behind him. 

Crocodile extends his hook, which Koda ducks below easily. She tries to sweep his legs out from underneath him, but he reflexively disintegrates to sand and she falls right through him. She was still too quick; he had gotten lucky that time. He throws up a wall of sand, trying to create distance between the two of them.

Koda pinballs herself around the cell block, generating an unimaginable amount of force. At the rate she was going, her body was vibrating at speeds so great she could pass through the sand in front of her. She pushes off one of the cells with her feet, the iron bars folding under the pressure. 

She extends her fist, the weight behind it nearly painful to withhold. Crocodile does nothing. His shoulders relax as he lowers his hook. He looks her dead in the eye. He never wanted to fight her in the first place. Koda looks deep into his eyes, growling as she plants her heels into the ground and diverts her fist the best that she can. The shockwave blasts through the stone walls of Impel Down, allowing light to pour in from outside. The force had cut Crocodile’s cheek, blood now trickling from the wound freely. Though she hadn’t touched him at all, the wind behind her punch had been harsh enough. 

“That’s it?” Crocodile asks, out of breath. It wasn’t easy to get into a fight after being locked away for months on end. 

“I’ve had enough.“ She says finally.

Koda can’t shake the image of those eyes staring back at her. He hadn’t even tried. He could have dodged if he wanted, but he didn’t. The thought terrified her. 

“Hey, lady! You’ve just got to join my crew! There’s me, Zoro, Nami-“ 

Koda looks down at the kid, a wide smile stretched across his face as he spoke. He was still just a child, she towered over him at a mere six feet. There was something about him though, whether it be his determination or innocence that made her want to follow him. 

“Your crew, huh?” Koda pats his signature straw hat, pushing it down so it covered his eyes. “How about you get us out of this prison first, then we talk?” 

“Deal!” Luffy shouts victoriously, laughing as Ivankov finished freeing Jinbei. 

Koda sneaks a glance over her shoulder at Crocodile, who was eyeing her closely. He runs a hand through his hair, trying his best to put the disheveled strands back in their proper places. He clears his throat, sand swirling in his palm. The group takes a step back, watching him leap into the air, disintegrating the ceiling above. 

“Ladies first.” He says quietly.


	3. Chapter 3

Barreling through the seemingly endless halls of Impel Down proved to be just as tedious as expected. As much as it annoyed her to admit it, Koda was glad Crocodile had agreed to help them. 

It felt like they had climbed for hours by the time they had reached level 4. The guards seemed to be spilling out of every corner, surrounding them on all sides. The heat was starting to make Koda lethargic, something that never bode well when trying to use her devil fruit powers. 

It’s when they’ve nearly reached the stairs to level 3 that she stumbles, tripping over her own tired feet. A hand snatches her wrist before she falls, keeping her steady. 

“Still with us?” Crocodile drawled. 

Koda slaps his hand away, saying nothing as she caught up with the rest of the group. Gods, she needed water. She hated how ironic that was. 

More guards blocked their escape from the stairwell. Luffy winds up to take them out, but fails to see the threat behind him-sea prism stone bullets. 

Koda curses, lunging forward and moving Straw Hat out of the line of danger, silently knocking the guards out of the way in the process. She appears at Luffy’s side a moment later, slightly out of breath. 

“They didn’t hit you, did they?” 

The boy frantically checks himself for bullet holes and when he finds none he gives her a thumbs up. “Nope, I’m good!” 

He laughs wildly, giving her a pat on the back as a thank you. Koda couldn’t help but smile at the audacity of the situation. She was actually enjoying herself. 

That is, until Magellan returned. His Hydra thrashed around the hallway, coating the floors in a thick, oozing poison. Koda could navigate past it fairly easily, though it was somewhat difficult to find a safe foothold going at top speed. 

Crocodile growled, no longer having the patience to be delayed any longer. He gathers a handful of sand in his palm, but is surrounded on all sides. The guards were proving to be smarter than they looked. 

“Koda! Give me a boost, dammit!” Crocodile yells. 

She looks over her shoulder where he was standing, then forward again. Bodies continued to fall before her eyes, completely covered in the disgusting, poisonous sludge. Magellan was charging forward far too quickly. They didn’t have enough time. 

“I have to delay this bastard a few minutes-“ 

As she steps forward to engage, Ivankov shakes his head, placing a large hand on her shoulder. 

“Let me deal with this mess. Get Croco-boy and Straw-boy out of here. They need you.” 

She wants to protest, but thinks better of it. “Thank you, Iva. I’ll see you upstairs.” Though she isn’t confident that she will. She hates that about herself. 

Koda sprints over to Crocodile, appearing in front of him in an instant. She nods signaling him to go and tells him to lift himself off the ground as much as possible. He was much taller than her and far heavier; this was going to be difficult if she didn’t have momentum on her side. 

As he jumps into the air, sand rushes to his aid, lifting him higher for a fraction of a second. Koda pushes off the stone floors with as much strength as she can muster, the ground cracking beneath her. She reaches Crocodile in a flash, grabbing him from underneath his arms. 

Koda bites her lip, not expecting him to be this heavy. She can feel blood trickling down her lip as she rockets them forward and they blast through the ceiling, landing somewhere in the upper levels.

As she begins to gain awareness of her surroundings, she quickly realizes something is wrong. She could hardly breathe. Koda knew she was dehydrated but her throat was far too dry for that. As she tries to shake the ringing in her ears, she hears the faint sound of laughter before Straw Hat Luffy appears in front of her face.

“That was awesome! But-where are we? We didn’t make it outside! Koda? You okay?” 

Crocodile growls, pushing Luffy out of the way as he leans over her, reaching into his coat for a small bottle of water. He opens the cap, lightly sprinkling the liquid into her mouth. Koda sputters, coughing and choking down as much of it as she can. When she’s had enough, she gasps for air, eyes narrowing angrily at the man towering over her. When he glances back at her, she quickly looks away. 

“You should really keep your mouth closed when running around like that.” 

“Fuck off.” She mumbles, wiping the rest of the sand off her tongue. His hand was outstretched toward her, but she refused to acknowledge it. 

Jinbei arrives a few moments later, making their hole in the ceiling a bit larger. Koda eventually stands on her own, knees shaking slightly. Gods forbid she was going to show an ounce of weakness in front of these men. 

Jinbei and Luffy begin to discuss their ship situation, which...wasn’t good. Standing still certainly wasn’t a good plan either. Koda could feel Crocodile behind her, his presence looming over her like a shadow. 

“You’re purposely avoiding my gaze.” 

She ignored him, doing that very thing. He grumbles, really beginning to hate this woman. 

“What happened with Kotokami? Why are you parading around as his daughter?” 

“Shut the hell up.” She grits through her teeth.

“He’s dead, isn’t he? He must be. Though quite a battle must have ensued for you to wind up here. The rest of the crew, where are they? Don’t tell me you sacrificed it all for them?” 

Koda leaps forward, attempting to tackle him; all she finds is a face full of sand. “They’re all dead, you prick! I was the only one that survived! I fought for days trying to protect them and had to watch as each and every one of them was killed and thrown out to sea.” 

A tense silence fills the air. Luffy and Jinbei had stopped talking long ago, just as stunned as Crocodile seemed to be. 

“He wanted you to take over,” She chokes. “I hope it was worth it for you.” 

Crocodile looks down at his hook. He hasn’t been ashamed of this loss in quite some time. He wonders briefly what would have happened if he’d stayed; flashes of laughter, large parties and Koda with heavy-lidded eyes, beckoning him to her room fill his mind. 

In the end, neither of them had been strong enough to protect what was important to them. It was slowly beginning to eat them alive. Luffy slowly walked over to Koda, his mouth deeply set into a frown. He places a hand on Koda’s shoulder, trying his best to reassure her. 

“Those men that killed your crew. Are they in Marineford?” 

Koda nodded. 

Luffy slams his fist into his palm. “All the more reason to get there faster!” 

It’s the first time in years that Koda wants to believe in something. She looks at Luffy, smiling as he animatedly began discussing with Jinbei his plan. This time, they’re going to win.


	4. Chapter 4

Koda had forgotten how peaceful it was being out at sea. She had also forgotten how satisfying it was to steal a ship, especially from the Marines. In the chaos that was their escape, they didn’t have any other choice. Not that she really cared, though part of her wished to just capsize the damn thing.

She lay completely flat on the deck, hands behind her head. She had removed the ties from her hair, letting her blonde curls free for a change. The sky above had darkened, spooking some of the more superstitious former inmates onboard. Koda thinks back to her old crew, the Kotokami pirates that had bravely risked their lives to harbor her. 

Koda couldn’t remember her father. When she had met Kotokami, she was already living alone; a hardened child that had been force fed a devil fruit at the age of five. 

‘Run, Koda!’ The voice rings in her ears. 

Koda thinks to the faint images she has of her mother, smiling sweetly. She can see her mouth open to say something, but she can never remember what was said. All she ever remembers hearing is:

‘Run, Koda! Don’t ever look back!’

That’s all she’s ever done since then. Ran and ran and never looked back to see the chaos unfold. The day Kotokami died was the day she had finally stopped running. And she had lost it all. 

Koda sits up, crossing her legs as she stretched her arms over her head. Her grey eyes watched as the sea rippled beneath the ship, trying to focus on the water instead of the blur of unwelcome memories spinning inside her head. 

She could hear heavy footsteps on the wood floors behind her. The ship creaked as they approached, bringing her back to the present. The footsteps stopped suddenly, though the person themselves remained silent. 

Koda refused to turn around. She knew who it was. 

“I’m going to get you to look me in the eye eventually.” Crocodile grumbles. 

An apple goes whizzing past her head and she quickly snatches it before it can soar overboard. She returns to her cross-legged position, facing away just like before. Crocodile didn’t think he would ever get tired of watching her do that. 

“Thank you.” She says quietly. 

He grins. She can’t help but be polite. He rolls a bottle of water over to her on the floor this time. They stay there for quite awhile, hovering on the edge of a conversation. 

“The day I lost my hand and received this scar, I had accepted that I would most likely die. I think about it all the time.” 

Koda said nothing, her eyes remained focused on the choppy waters ahead.

He takes a long drag of his cigar, clearing his throat before he continues. “All I can remember thinking at the time was how I wanted you to be there.” 

Damn him. She looks over her shoulder, not quite meeting his eyes. “You know I had to stay.” 

Crocodile wants to point out that the outcome would have been the same either way. Rumors of Kotokami’s illness had begun to spread throughout the New World. It had only been a matter of time before the Marines found out. 

He looks down at her, the prison uniform hanging loosely from her frame. Ivankov had been nice enough to gather most of the escapees personal belongings from Impel Down, though Koda didn’t have a piece of clothing to her name anymore. 

Before he turns to leave, he sets down a pair of shoes beside her. They’re hers, she can tell immediately. A pair of black Oxford shoes with silver coated soles. They molded perfectly to her feet and were durable enough so that they wouldn’t melt at top speed. They were a gift from Kotokami, a gift she thought she’d lost after she’d been imprisoned.

Koda tucks then safely under her arm, fully turning to look at Crocodile. Their eyes meet for a brief moment before she faces back to the sea. 

“Thank you.” She says again. 

XXXXXXXX

Crocodile silently turns away from the bow, unable to remain in her presence any longer. She had a talent for making him feel uncomfortable, but in a way that made him want to continue coming back. He sauntered over toward the cabins, hoping to catch a few hours sleep before arriving in Marineford. 

“I don’t know what happened between you and Koda, but you better stay away from her.” 

Crocodile stiffens, nearly biting through his cigar. He was hardly in the mood to talk, let alone be lectured by Straw Hat Luffy. 

“Koda is a grown woman, you know. She tends to make her own choices.” 

“As her future captain, I want to protect her.” 

Crocodile laughs, watching as Luffy’s eyes narrow angrily. Though if there was only one thing Crocodile could say for certain about Straw Hat, it was that he keeps his word. Koda needed someone like that in her life. 

“You don’t realize the weight she carries on her shoulders. Survivor’s guilt is a heavy burden to bear.” 

Luffy cracks his knuckles. “Like I said, I don’t know what’s happened to her and if she doesn’t want to tell me, I really don’t need to know. But I can see she’s in pain. Whatever happens in Marineford, I’m going to protect her and Ace.” 

Crocodile turns to ash his cigar. “If I see differently, you’ll be hearing from me.” 

Luffy doesn’t know what to make of that. He was positive he knew everything there was to know about Crocodile, but now he wasn’t so sure. He and Koda had a complicated and entangled past, one that he didn’t begin to understand. 

“You’re not going to try and take her?” 

Crocodile laughs again, contemplating the idea. “Take her? I certainly wouldn’t get very far.“ 

He thinks back to their brief scuffle from a few hours ago, his face throbbing where she had kicked him. Luffy didn’t like the idea of coming to an agreement with Crocodile, but found himself doing so all the same. 

“I promise. I’ll protect her.” 

Crocodile nods to him, waving him away nonchalantly. It was as much of an agreement as they were going to come to. 

XXXXXXXX

“The gate is opening!” 

Koda opens her eyes, frightened as she jerks awake. She hadn’t intended to fall asleep. The shoes she had been guarding under her arm, she immediately puts on her feet. 

When she notices Jinbei at the helm, she dashes over to him, appearing in an instant. He doesn’t seem to be fazed on the outside, though his hands gripped the wheel nervously. 

A loud rumble below the water shakes the ship slightly off course. Jinbei is doing everything he can to make sure they’re staying on the right path. 

Koda looks toward the sky, still darkened but no sign of rain. The floorboards of the ship began to vibrate beneath her as the earth shifted, nearly knocking her off her feet. 

The door to the cabins below slams open and Crocodile stalks forward, Daz Bones just behind him, surveying their surroundings. Crocodile’s panicked eyes dart this way and that, searching for an enemy that wasn’t there. 

There was no doubt about it. This was Whitebeard’s power. They must be nearing Marineford. 

Koda shakily pulls her hair back, three consecutive buns down the back of her head to her neck. She tears a piece of cloth from her prison uniform, tying it around her head to keep the fly away hairs out of her eyes. 

The waves were getting rougher. It was getting more difficult to keep the ship level. 

Koda searches for Luffy, making sure she at least knew where he was in case things turned for the worst. She intended to keep the promise she made to herself and Ace. 

“We’re getting sucked in!” Someone yelled out. 

Koda lunges toward Luffy, grabbing him by the collar. She returned to Jinbei’s side in an instant, the three of them clinging to the helm with all their strength. They snuck a glance behind them, swallowing as a tidal wave rose high above them, pulling them in to their certain demise. 

As they are dragged higher into the wave, Koda loses her grip on Luffy and slips backward. She could sprint forward, but with how unstable the ship was she could easily send herself overboard. Luffy sends his arm after her just as Crocodile snatches her from the air, catching her before she can hit the door to the captain’s quarters. The two slam into the wall behind them, Crocodile doing his best to cushion the blow with sand. 

“Boss, we stopped moving.” 

Crocodile slowly removes the arm from Koda’s waist, letting her free. They both peer over the side of the ship, taking in the situation they were currently in. They had certainly arrived in Marineford, though they were far above the battle. The wave they had ridden in on had been frozen solid. 

Koda’s eyes frantically searched the battlefield for him, her heartbeat racing when she finds who she’s looking for. Her entire body breaks out in a cold sweat. Her teeth clenched, paralyzed by rage. Admiral Kizaru. 

She takes a step forward, her mind in a complete trance. Crocodile grabs her hand before she can go any farther. 

“Don’t be hasty.” 

She rips her hand from his grasp. “I don’t need you to hold my hand.” 

No, she certainly didn’t. Crocodile let her go, though his eyes never left her. This was something she had stubbornly decided she needed to finish alone. He couldn’t promise to keep himself neutral, however. That was the best part of being a pirate, he thought. He could do as he pleased. 

As they all evacuated the ship to try and make it ashore, Crocodile pulls Daz aside. 

“If you get the chance, kill Admiral Kizaru.” 

Without a second thought, he responded. “Yes, Boss.”


	5. Chapter 5

Free falling from several feet in the air tended to put a few things into perspective. For Koda, it was the following: One, Monkey D. Luffy was not the smartest Captain this side of the Grand Line. And two, she certainly had a lot on her mind as of late. 

As she watches herself rapidly approach the frozen battleground, everything around her goes silent. She can feel someone tugging her hand, but she can’t bring herself to look. If she died here, wouldn’t she be able to see everyone again? She felt her muscles relax, legs going limp as she falls. 

‘You understand why, Koda. Don’t you?’ 

‘No I don’t! They just stole all of our money, old man! We worked so hard for all of that...we were going to give it to the village!’ 

Kotokami’s rich laughter fills her mind. She can feel his large hand ruffling her hair, wiping a tear from his eye with the other. She couldn’t have been more than ten years old, but she cursed like a pirate who had sailed the seas for decades. 

‘Koda, we’re going to save that Fishman village, I told you that already. Have I not been a man of my word so far?’ 

Koda crossed her arms, her ears turning bright red with frustration. She could hear a few snickers from the other crew members, only fueling her rage. 

‘The important thing is, that they gave you back. Those men could have sailed halfway across the Grand Line and thrown you overboard without a second thought. Koda, I want to treasure the time I have with you. Don’t be in such a hurry to run and grow up, eh? You’ve got a lot of time left, you know.’ 

He smiles at her, holding out his hand for her to take. Koda’s arm stretches forward but the apparition quickly dissolves, leaving her cold and empty. 

“You idiot, snap out of it!” Luffy shouts, slapping Koda across the cheek. 

The sharp sting of his hand against her skin pulls her back to reality. Her feet come in contact with the ground mere inches before it’s too late. She immediately shoots herself forward, the silver soles of her shoes making sparks fly from underneath her. She eventually skids to a halt, though much farther than expected. The ice was going to be difficult to maneuver around, not to mention she had just separated herself from the entire group. 

A squad of Marines advance to take her out, hoping this will be simple now that she’s isolated. Koda growls, sprinting forward and dipping her shoulder to tackle the soldiers standing in her path. 

“She’s too fast, sir! We can’t see her!” 

From across the battlefield, Kizaru lowers is golden shades, letting his eyes follow the path of the woman barreling toward him. Marines were flying this way and that, caught in the crossfire between powerful pirates. 

“My, my isn’t this a surprise?” Kizaru said lazily.

He barely has a chance to think before Koda is right in front of him, right leg fully extended in an attempt to kick him in the stomach. He meets her halfway, his foot blocking the attack easily. The tips of his toes begin to glow brightly, heat singeing the fabric of her prison uniform. 

Koda ducks, bounding out of the way by flipping backward on her hands. The explosive boom that rumbled through the air as she broke the sound barrier, brought several Marines and former inmates alike to their knees. 

The sound draws the attention of Crocodile, who had been stealthily making his way toward the Moby Dick. It was as though his legs were moving of their own accord, his bloodlust raging at the sight of the old man. 

The sight of Kizaru and Koda exchanging blows however, makes him freeze. Where the hell was Daz? 

“You had better keep your eye on the prize if you want to take me out, brat.” 

Crocodile’s eyes snap up to meet Whitebeard’s. The stump where his left hand once sat suddenly throbbed in pain. 

“Brilliant punk!” 

Shit. For as large as the 3rd Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates is, he was incredibly quick. Jozu’s fist glistened brightly, punching Crocodile as hard as he could. The force sent him flying far from the harbor, using his devil fruit to dissipate to sand and reappear unharmed. He wipes some blood from his mouth, cursing. 

Koda and Kizaru are right in front of him now. Well, they are for the moment. The two of them have shot themselves all across the battlefield at this point. It would be nearly impossible to follow if Kizaru didn’t leave a trail of light behind him.

“Boss.” 

Crocodile snarls whipping around and extending his hook to his associate as a challenge. “You going blind, Daz? Or does that not look like Kizaru to you?” 

Daz sighs, blades extending from his arms. He slices through the air, knocking back a group of Marines that had attempted to flank them. Crocodile grabs one by the neck, squeezing until all that was left was a pile of dust. 

“Where exactly would you like me to step in?” Daz says snidely, but then adds a “Sir.” when Crocodile glares at him. 

He had a point. Koda was ruthlessly attacking Kizaru in any way she could think of, dodging when she got a bit too close. Attempting to take her place would be suicide right now. 

A smirk was still evident on the Admiral’s face as they fought. Crocodile clenched his teeth. He didn’t like the look of that. However, he scanned Koda’s body for any obvious signs of injury and was relieved to find none at the moment. 

“Ace!!!” 

The sound of Monkey D. Luffy’s voice shook the foundation of Marineford. Everyone on the battlefield seems to stop for a moment. Koda smiles, watching Luffy grow closer and closer to the execution stand. 

“Ohhh, Koda. Didn’t the old man ever teach you to never take your eyes off your opponent?” 

The first punch comes in hard to her sternum, making her double over in surprise. Kizaru sighs, pretending to find this whole fight a nuisance. The next punch has much more force, his entire fist now glowing brightly. It collides with her left side, the skin immediately sizzling on impact. The blow knocks her off her feet, making her somersault backward. 

Koda stands up as quickly as she can, only to find Kizaru has disappeared. Her eyes scan the grounds for him, catching a glimpse of the glinting beam of his coat heading straight for Luffy. 

“Bastard! Get the hell over here!” 

Koda slams her foot into the ground, pushing off the stone lobby of Marineford; her arm outstretched to grab Kizaru’s cape as soon as she reached him. 

They’re gaining on Luffy far too quickly. Koda yells out to him, but it’s too difficult to hear over the roar of cannon fire. Kizaru extends a luminous index finger, aiming straight for the boy’s heart. 

“Stop! Please!” Koda yells, her voice breaking. 

It’s too late. Kizaru fires, a flash of light briefly blinding everyone in the area. The sound of the explosion is nearly deafening. Koda falls to her knees, unable to move an inch. 

When the dust clears, Luffy is miraculously still standing; stunned at the arm safely wrapped around him. Sand begins to swirl around the boy’s feet, settling back to its proper place as the rest of Crocodile’s body reappears.

“C-Crocodile...” Luffy murmurs. 

He glares at Straw Hat. “Get moving, idiot.” 

Luffy turns on his heel, sandals flapping behind him as he continues toward the execution stand. Koda arrives a split second later, appearing at Crocodile’s side. 

“Are you alright?” She huffs, trying to catch her breath. 

He nods, eyes focusing on the burnt flesh near her rib cage. Koda ignores him. Her body was already quickly working to heal itself. Though the burns themselves would scar, any internal damage would be healed within a few hours. 

“I’m fine. Find me when this is over.” She gives him a soft smile. “And please, watch over Luffy.” 

She brushes past him, her hand briefly grazing his as she walks by. Kizaru tilts his head, amused at the scene unfolding before him. 

“Ohh, I see. That’s enough to make a man jealous, you know.” Kizaru says with a laugh. 

Koda cracks her knuckles. This was going to end today. Whether it be with his defeat or her own. 

Crocodile watches her go solemnly. He wants to fight with her, but he knows he’s hardly earned that right. His eyes dart back and forth, keeping his attention on Luffy. 

“Koda,” Kizaru drawls, elongating her name. “You certainly haven’t learned your lesson.” 

Kizaru releases a flurry of beams, engulfing her in light. She spins in mid-air, narrowly missing the attacks as they whizzed past her cheek. 

Koda lunges forward, the sheer speed creating a culmination of mirages as she passes by. Kizaru grins, really enjoying himself now. 

“You are faster though, I will give you that.” 

Koda yells, using her momentum to swing her leg up to land a kick against his temple. Kizaru’s hands fly up, crossing his arms as he blocks the incoming attack. He’s able to shield his face, however, the aftershock of her kick is too much for his body to handle. As her shoe comes in contact with his forearm, a satisfying crack emits from Kizaru’s bones. 

Kizaru curses, holding out his hand to release another fury of laser beams. They send Koda flying backward, blood now dripping freely from the wound on her left side. She coughs, the unsettling taste of blood resting on her tongue. 

Her muscles are already spent, if she were to push herself much further she could wind up doing serious damage. The tears in her muscles would inevitably become too severe until there was nothing left for them to hang on to. 

Kizaru looks up at her, shakily standing to regain his composure. The two were both exhausted; this was where the real fight would truly begin. Koda stumbles as she struggled to stand upright. It didn’t matter, she thought to herself. At the moment, she could hardly feel a thing. 

Kizaru licks his lips. “Don’t exert yourself now. I’m sure there will be plenty of time for you to rest in Impel Down.” 

He brings his hands together, molding a perfect sphere of light in the palm of his hands. 

Gods, her legs hurt. She swayed slightly, preparing for the rush of pain that would follow another burst of speed. He smiles widely, thrusting his long arm forward as the lower half of his body dispersed into a flash of light. 

Koda sees him rapidly approaching. A high speed counter would be impossible at this distance. She would have to be clever instead. 

She stands rigidly, waiting until the moment where Kizaru’s hand is inches from her nose. In a flash, she side steps out of the line of attack, snatching his wrist. He hadn’t expected her to dodge so quickly, giving him no time to make himself intangible.

She lands an uppercut to the underside of his chin, knocking him high into the air. With a painful cry she jumps to intercept him, grabbing him by the arm and using her momentum to throw him over shoulder, hurling him back toward the ground. 

The last thing Kizaru sees is the silver soles of Koda Rayleigh, her foot crashing down on his throat as she rocketed herself back to the earth. 

...................................................

An explosion beneath the execution stand stops Crocodile in his tracks. He frantically searched for any sign of Kizaru below, panicked when he found none. The blast had thrown debris in every direction, knocking soldiers out of his way as he ran toward the epicenter. 

He coughed as dust and grime made its way into his lungs. The smell of burnt flesh and blood was heavy as he neared the area. The stone tiles were completely destroyed, forming a small crater in the center. 

That’s where he finds her, chest heaving as she struggled to move. Her prison uniform was now caked in blood, sticking to her skin uncomfortably. Crocodile appears at her side in an instant, killing anyone that threatened to move close to her. He looks down at her, relief and concern simultaneously washing across his features. 

He gathers her body into his arms, smiling when she opens her eyes. 

“Found you.”


	6. Chapter 6

‘He’s trying to get himself killed,’ Daz thought. 

He watched as Crocodile desperately cradled Koda’s limp body against his, frantically searching for a path that led far away from the chaos. His suit was covered in her blood. It would be nearly impossible to use his devil fruit if he needed to now. 

The blades on Daz’s arms cut through the air, the harsh wind that followed sweeping across the area. Like pins and needles, it sliced through the Marines standing in his way. 

Crocodile was damned lucky that Straw Hat had happened to free Portgas D. Ace mere moments after Koda’s stunt with Kizaru. Panic had engulfed the battlefield, several Marines were beginning to turn tail and run. It had given Crocodile the head start he needed to sprint toward the harbor, Koda now unresponsive in his arms.

The aftershocks of Whitebeard’s attacks were beginning to destroy the island. The ice had long since cracked open, giving way to the ocean water beneath. Crocodile had nearly made it to one of the many abandoned ships in the harbor, when his legs are kicked out from underneath him. He tucks Koda into his chest, rolling over on top of her as they fall to the ground. He tries to shield her as best as he can, but she still hits the pavement. Hard. 

Koda lands on her back, the force knocking the air from her lungs. She gasps, eyes shooting open at the sudden rush of pain. She coughs, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as she struggled for air. Crocodile tries to ignore the blood that she’s coughing up. Kizaru had done an unbelievable amount of internal damage. 

“Koda,” Crocodile cups her cheek, getting her to focus on him. “Can you move? If you can move-“ 

Koda’s eyes widen. “Turn around!” 

His hook flies up to defend them as he turns, a harsh metallic clang ringing through the air as it comes in contact with their assailant. 

“Anyone who attacks here is not guaranteed to leave alive. Did you really think you could just kill an Admiral and then run away?"

Dracule Mihawk’s black sword had cracked the gold metal of Crocodile’s hook, now threatening to sever it completely. The two struggled for the upper hand as the fissure near the base of his hook grew larger. 

Koda would have to do something. Just sitting at this impasse would eventually lead to both of their deaths. She lifts her right leg, biting down on her lip to keep from crying out in pain. In an instant, she grabs Crocodile by the collar, pulling him backward. Mihawk falls forward, his sword now embedded in the ground. Before he can wrench it free, Koda kicks him square in the stomach, sending him flying back toward the war raging on near Marine headquarters. 

It takes a few seconds for Crocodile to realize what’s just happened. He looks back at Koda, her breathing a bit more shallow than before. 

“Sorry,” She coughs. “I think that was all I had left.” 

“Just stop moving, dammit.” 

He wipes a drop of blood from her mouth, grimacing at the nasty sight of her wounds. His right hand holds his hook in place, the metal now threatening to slide right off his wrist. 

“Boss!” 

Crocodile turns, sighing in relief at the sight of Daz Bones sprinting toward him, clearing the area of any straggling Marines. 

“Boss, it’s Straw Hat. He’s been injured, sir. There’s a convoy leading him away from the island and he’s asking for Koda. You have to go. Now.” 

“Luffy...” Koda wheezes.

Crocodile shushes her as he looks ahead, growling as he sees Mihawk stand. His golden eyes stare them down as he shakes the dust from his clothes. 

“Daz, take Koda to the ship. I’ll hold him off for awhile longer.” 

Daz grasps his shoulder, forcing him to look up. “I hate to be insubordinate sir, but you are in no condition to fight. Take Koda and leave the island. I’ll send a letter when I’ve heard word of where you decide to go.” 

Crocodile gathers Koda into his arms reluctantly. As he turns to leave, he looks back to his first mate, his friend, now locked in battle with Mihawk. 

He would thank Daz later. Of course he would.

.........................................................

“Another wounded Straw Hat?” The man sighs, lazily motioning for Crocodile to place her below deck. “Put her on a cot and leave. Just the patients and the crew are permitted to stay here.” 

Crocodile’s rage could be felt throughout the submarine of the Heart Pirates. He rigidly walked down the stairs of the sub, gently setting Koda down on an open bed. When he was satisfied that she was stable, he whirled around, grabbing the arm of the ship’s captain. 

“I’m not leaving without her.” He says through clenched teeth. 

Trafalgar Law sighed again, a large gust of air passing through his lips. “You don’t really have a say in the matter.” When he realizes that Crocodile is on the brink of snapping, he continues. “The ship beside us is traveling above water leading us to an undisclosed location. Even I don’t know where it is. Go with them and we’ll regroup later.” 

Crocodile looks down the steps where he knows Koda to be. He could fight this crew, force them to allow him to stay. They wouldn’t be so willing to help Koda afterwards, however. 

His body ached for a cigar, fingers shaking at his side. 

“This one belongs with you now.” Law calls out to the ship beside him. 

It was the ship of the Kuja Pirates Crocodile realizes suddenly. He recognizes the captain almost immediately; It was the woman who had visited Portgas D. Ace at Impel Down. And-

“Croco-boy!” 

God dammit. He was going to lose his mind. 

.........................................................

They were currently drifting along the Grand Line, not an island in sight for miles. Crocodile kept away from the other passengers as much as possible, isolating himself to the crow’s nest. The sun was harsh as it baked his skin. He licked his lips, grumbling when he realizes they’re already chapped. The women ooh and ahh at him from below, calling for him to come down. 

Two days go by and Crocodile hasn’t eaten a thing. The only things he asks for are sake and cigars, eyes never leaving the horizon ahead of them. 

“My, I certainly didn’t expect you to be so taken with her, Croco-boy.” 

Ivankov stands underneath the crow’s nest, shouting up to him until he received a response. “She’s got quite the raw feelings about you.“ 

Crocodile rubbed his cheek, feeling the bruise that Koda has given him. Yes, he knew that already. He thinks back to the moment her hand had brushed against his; giving him a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wanted her to do it again. Would she?

“You shouldn’t worry so much. She’s a tough cookie, that girl.” 

He throws a jar of sake over the side, hoping to nail Ivankov in the head. Crocodile is more than a little disappointed when he catches it. 

“She’ll come round too. Those piercing grey eyes of hers only have love for you. She saved your sorry ass didn’t she?” 

“Why don’t you mind your own damned business?” He growls. “If you feel that compelled to bother me, you might as well bring me some food. And more sake, dammit.” 

Ivankov smirks, feeling satisfied.  
.........................................................

The submarine doesn’t resurface until three days later. Law ordered his men to connect themselves to the Kuja Pirates’ ship, boarding it soon after. He looks exhausted, dark circles more prominent around his eyes. 

“They’re all alive. Jinbei and Koda are safe to be moved. Luffy though,” He pauses, having to choose his words carefully. “His spirit’s been crushed. It’s too early to tell whether he’ll pull through or not.” 

The warlord did not take the news well. Law promised to follow her back to Amazon Lily, continuing to treat Luffy until he didn’t need to. Crocodile jumped from his hiding place above, feeling a bit dizzy as he lands. 

She was alive. He needed to go get her, bring her over to the ship. 

“I’ll handle transporting the patients.” Law said evenly, taking a look at Crocodile’s drunken appearance. “If you want to get anywhere near her, you’ll have to be sterile.” 

He grumbles, stalking underneath the deck to find the showers. The Snake Princess nearly sends a group of her pirates after him, but Ivankov waves her away. 

“Let him have this one, wouldn’t you? Once Luffy is back to his normal self, they’ll be out of your hair.” 

At the mention of Luffy’s name she immediately brightens. She agrees, after pretending to mull it over for a few moments. 

Hours later, Ivankov departs with a group of Kamabakka natives piloting a Marine ship. He sends his regards to Crocodile and the others, making sure to embarrass him before he goes. “You’ll give her a kiss for me, won’t you?” 

Law had transported Jinbei and Koda to the bunks on the Kuja Pirate ship, descending back under the surface not long after. It would take a few more days to reach Amazon Lily from their current location. 

It was well past midnight now and Koda was still resting in her room, the subtle rocking of the ship lulling her into a comfortable sleep. Crocodile sat in the corner of her room, trying to keep himself awake as his eyelids grew heavier. It had been days since he’d slept, and even then it had been in a prison cell. Although it was just a cushioned chair, it felt like heaven on his spine. 

Before he can catch himself he slumps forward, hook clanging against the floor as it falls off his wrist.

“Shit.” He mutters. 

Koda’s eyelids flutter open slowly, her gaze immediately settling on Crocodile. She smiles softly, memories flooding back to her as she wakes. 

“Thank you.” 

He stutters, awkwardly frozen in place. “I think I should be thanking you.”

She chuckles, wincing a bit as she does so. She shifts underneath the blankets, using what strength she could muster to lift them back and invite him in bed with her. She hadn’t expected to be this sore; her left side still felt like it was on fire. 

He looks at her nervously, feet still glued to the floor. 

“I won’t bite.” 

Crocodile looks away, massaging the cheek Koda had viciously attacked a few days earlier. “Liar.” 

“Please,” He looks down at her, noticing a softness in her eyes he hadn’t seen in years. “Come here.” 

He slowly makes his way to the side of her bed, sitting just on the edge. He doesn’t deserve this. Not her.

“I know it wasn’t your fault. About Kotokami.” 

He turns back toward her, raising his eyebrows in surprise. “It wasn’t yours either.” 

“After you left, you knew how mad I was. He had just laughed it off, like he always did. About everything. It pissed me off more than anything else.” 

Crocodile chuckles a little, remembering how angry she could get at the old man. Bittersweet memories begin flooding back to him, picturing his first few years on the Grand Line underneath the Kotokami flag. 

“He always trusted you,” She continued. “It didn’t change how he felt when you left because you were doing what you’d always said you would. Becoming King of the Pirates.” She grinned at him. 

He looked away from her, face suddenly feeling hot. She reaches out for him then, silently asking him to come closer. He leans down, grabbing the blankets from her and covering the both of them as he slides his shoes off. He turns to face her, not quite sure what to say. Her fingers trace down his spine, slowing as it neared the curve of his lower back.

He needed to sleep. Gods knew she did too. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her in close so she was flush against his chest. Her hands reach up to caress his face, thumbs sliding across the grooves of the scar along his nose. Her movements soon become lethargic, her eyes struggling to remain open.

“Kiss me.” She says softly. 

She means it. She really does, but her body has stayed awake long enough. Her head falls into his chest, light snores quickly passing through her lips. 

Crocodile grins, too amused to be disappointed. There was always tomorrow.


	7. Chapter 7

“Dammit, would you sit still?”

Crocodile’s callused fingers roughly held Koda in place, his other hand shakily threading a needle through her skin to stitch the wound.

“Why are you here anyway? You could’ve told the old man I can handle it.”

He looks up from his stitching, gesturing down to the bloody mess of her clothes. “You’ve got it handled all right.”

The tips of Koda’s ears burned red. She tucks her head into her knees, obediently leaving her arm outstretched and still for him to work on.

They aimlessly floated along in Crocodile’s small waver, one that he had snatched from the main Kotokami ship. The sea breeze was particularly soothing today, blowing a few strands of hair into her eyes. She looks out over the clear ocean, her thoughts far off in the distance. The sun had begun to drop beneath the cover of the clouds, painting the sky in deep oranges and reds. A gull cried overhead, though the noise was somewhat muffled over the sound of water lapping at the sides of the boat.

The warm glow of the sky above illuminated her features, bringing out the tanned lines of her skin and the golden color of her hair. Crocodile didn’t dare pause his meticulous stitching, though he snuck a passing glance at her when he knew she wasn’t looking.

He clears his throat when he’s finished, flicking her on the arm playfully. “Good as new.”

He stands quietly, adjusting the small sail on the waver. She watches him absentmindedly, eyes lazily following how deftly his hands unraveled the rope from the mast, just as they had carefully worked on her. He pauses, noticing he was being watched.

“What is it?”

Koda huffs, leaning back against the edge of the boat. “Hurry up already. If those idiots don’t save us any dinner, I’m blaming you.”

He grins, going back to work. By the time they sail themselves back to the main ship, the crew looks furious. Kotokami himself however, looks at the pair with a knowing smile.

As Crocodile hoists the waver back to its proper place underneath the deck, several members of the crew sneered, watching his every move. A few men even reached for their weapons as he passed by them. Crocodile was still their newest member by far, and it was no secret that he didn’t get along with some of the others.

“You pull a stunt like that again and I’ll kill you. You think you can just steal whatever you want here?”

Crocodile ignored them as he grit his teeth. His eyes fell on Kotokami, giving him a single nod before storming below deck and slamming the door to his room closed.

“What the hell was that all about? What did you mean ‘steal’?”

“Look, Koda, we’re glad he found you and all, but he just took the waver and ran! He could’ve been deserting us for all we knew.”

Why would he do that?

Koda whirled around, smacking right into Kotokami who had risen from his chair above deck. His full beard did very little to hide the large grin stretched across his face. He ruffles her hair, hooking his arm around her shoulders and leading them down to the Captain’s quarters, the eyes of the entire crew boring down on them.

“What’s this all about?” Koda demanded once they were out of earshot. “You’re telling me you didn’t send him after me?”

“No. I didn’t. When have I ever thought you needed someone else’s help?”

Koda’s stomach plummeted as it slowly dawned on her why they were so upset. Kotokami hadn’t ordered Crocodile to leave the ship. Yet he had done so anyway.

Her Captain’s eyes were stern, brows furrowed in deep thought. She fiddled with the fresh stitches on her arm; the ones he had taken great care to do correctly.

“I told him you would come back in a day or two. He didn’t seem to like that answer. As a Captain, you can understand my frustration, can’t you? What do you think about this, Koda?”

She had never liked him. He was short-tempered and insensitive, though Kotokami had always been the one to get Koda to question _why_ he was the way he was. The thought of him being thrown overboard made her heart sink. He had only been trying to help her, orders be damned.

“You can’t get rid of him!” She suddenly shouts, unable to hold it in any longer. “It was my fault. I don’t know what caused him to come after me but...” She holds out her arm, letting him survey the patchwork himself.

Kotokami raised his eyebrows, an amused look on his face. “Admitting fault? Defending Crocodile? Are you ill, Koda?”

She growls, wanting to escape from this conversation by any means necessary. She stomps toward the door, throwing it open and nearly flattening the person on the other side, guiltily eavesdropping.

Crocodile swallows, the faint tell of a blush rising up his cheeks. “Thank you.”

His voice was low, far deeper than she had remembered it being. His lips slowly curl into a devilish smile as he began to change before her eyes. A long cicatrix extended itself across his face, obvious that the wound had been stitched poorly. Most likely by himself. His pale eyes held hers for what seemed like hours, fiery and calculating as he stared; as though he knew something she couldn’t understand. He saunters toward her, at least a foot taller than he had been a few moments ago. His left hand begins to vanish, slowly disintegrating into sand. A menacing hook now took its place, the gold glinting across his eyes.

She felt unbelievably small standing before him, an invisible force holding her in place. She faintly hears the sound of a lighter flicking to life, the embers outlining the strong lines of his jaw.

Darkness fell across the room, dissolving the images of the Kotokami ship into a distorted blur that shifted everything but _him_ out of focus. All she could sense was his presence, nowhere to run or hide.

Smoke fills the air, engulfing his body in a large, thick cloud. Crocodile silently reappears behind her, sand swirling beneath their feet. He chuckles at how startled Koda looked, his tongue _tsking_ in mock disapproval. He towers over her, having to tip her chin up with his index finger as he slowly traced the outline of her lips with his thumb.

He leans in closer. Koda knows she’s been fully entranced. She parts her lips, only to feel his heated whisper just a fraction above them.

“Wake up.”

Koda jolts awake, gasping in panic. She runs a shaking hand across her face, the tips of her fingers now damp from sweat. A chill runs down her spine at the thought of his sultry voice against her lips. What would it feel like to truly kiss him? Would he be rough? Gentle? She felt ridiculous fantasizing the idea of either.

‘ _Gods, I really must be out of it._ ’ She thought.

She purses her lips, still tingling at the thought of being kissed. Sighing, she readjusted the bandages that were chafing against her left side, far too tight for her liking.

“Koda.” A sonorous voice mumbles beside her. She’s almost certain she’s imagined it when the voice calls to her again.

“ _Koda_.”

She nearly jumps out of her skin, heart pounding in her chest. Her nerves are already wound far too tight, nearly ready to snap. Every instinct in her body was crying out for her to fight. So that’s exactly what she did.

Koda yanks the blankets out from underneath the intruder, flipping them to the ground. She quickly ricocheted herself around the small room, fist nearly impaling the bastard in the chest, until a familiar pair of pale eyes emerged from underneath the sheet, blinking up at her.

“ _Fuck_!” She immediately slips backward as she tries to stop herself, the pent up velocity abruptly vanishing as she lands on the hard wood floor, knocking the air from her lungs.

Crocodile was over her in an instant, prodding at her bandages with a surprisingly tender and diligent hand. His eyes were heavy-lidded, his body still partially unconscious from a night of deep sleep. He rubbed the back of his neck, easing the stiffness that had arisen overnight. A few locks of hair fall into his eyes, no longer slicked back with product. Koda turns her head to the side, no longer able to look him in the eye.

She attempts to get up, coming to the horrifying realization that she couldn’t move. Using her devil fruit powers so soon probably wasn’t the smartest idea, looking back. Crocodile understands immediately, slipping a hand behind her back while his hook-less arm was tucked underneath her knees.

“Bad dream?” He asked sleepily, carefully lifting her from the floor.

“N-not exactly.” Koda said quietly. He raises an eyebrow, but she doesn’t care to elaborate. Luckily, he didn’t press her about it.

Crocodile slowly lowers her back on the bed, awkwardly hovering over the edge as he pulled away. A few more hours of sleep were out of the question. There was a heavy tension in the air; a tension that neither of them was willing to admit existed.

Koda could briefly remember speaking with him at some point last night. Or...did that really happen? The drug-induced lucid dream had blurred her memory of reality.

He had ended up in her bed though. That much was a fact. _How_ could she have forgotten?

Crocodile eventually turns toward the chair in the corner of the room with the rest of his belongings. He throws his coat over his shoulders as he yawns, stretching his arms above his head and arching his back. The movement lifted the hem of his shirt, revealing the faint lines of defined muscle dropping below his hips.

A light blush blooms across Koda’s cheeks and she quickly looks down. It’s in that moment she suddenly remembers it was, in fact, _her_ that had invited _him_ into bed.

Bits and pieces of images and whispered words begin rushing back. She can remember the fleeting conversation about Kotokami, her morphine addled brain removing any previously established perceptions about him; something that terrified her greatly. All her inhibitions had been lifted, leading her to exactly what she wanted. _Crocodile_.

Though what was embedded in her mind the most, was her embarrassingly desperate attempt to get him to kiss her the night before. She’d rather forget that altogether.

“I’m sorry I woke you up.” She mutters, her flushed cheeks now too apparent to go unnoticed. “I didn’t know it was you.”

He threads his fingers through his hair, wincing as they brushed against the sensitive bruise now formed at the crown. “I’m sorry if I startled you.” His voice was surprisingly sincere.

“It’s fine, really.” She rubbed the back of her neck, desperately willing the blush burning her cheeks to disappear.

His sinfully deep voice echoed in her mind, calling out for her as he had slept. She imagines his thumb against her lips once more, teasing her by easing the pad into her mouth, only to sigh in ecstasy when she sucks on the digit.

Crocodile cleared his throat, hoping to gather her attention. “Would you like breakfast? It’s still early, but I can find something if you’d like.”

“S-Sure.” She stutters.

He nods slowly, questioning her with sympathetic eyes.

 _‘I really did frighten her, didn’t I?’_ Crocodile thinks to himself.

As he leaves to scour the ship for food, he stops in the doorway, turning back to glance at her one last time. “Are you feeling all right?”

“Just tired.” She says, hoping it sounds convincing.

He nods again, quietly sliding the shoji door closed. She can see his silhouette linger outside her room for a moment, but his heavy footsteps receded down the hall soon after. Koda presses the heels of her palms into both eyes, over-dramatically groaning in despair. She pulls the blankets up over her head, hoping to be unconscious by the time he returned.

...........................................

Koda is pleasantly surprised when she wakes again, thankful she was able to steal a few more hours of sleep. She cautiously looks around the room, making absolutely sure that she was alone. When she’s certain that she is, she slowly sits up in bed, hissing at the way the bandages pulled at her skin.

She looks beside her, suddenly smelling the delicious aroma of food. A tray of various breakfast foods and pastries sat on the bedside table, neatly arranged so they were separated from one another. The eggs were somewhat cold now, meaning it had been awhile since Crocodile had returned. Koda briefly wondered how long he had stayed before leaving again. She shakes her head, trying to think about literally anything else.

Just as Koda tries to will those thoughts away, she finally takes a long look at herself. An oversized grey undershirt swallowed most of her upper half, while more bandages wrapped around both her legs to the ankles. She looked ridiculous. The only pieces of her body that were open to the air were her arms and face.

But...wait. She hadn’t been wearing a shirt this morning; just her bra, a pair of shorts, and the seemingly endless layers of gauze and bandages. She looks down at the shirt again, comfortable but ridiculously huge.

She swallows. Her mind reels, heart pounding as blood rushes to her ears.

‘ _I’m wearing his shirt_.’

He had dressed Koda without her knowledge, something that had no doubt taken patience and a steady hand. He had wanted to cover her up. The thought alone made Koda grin, biting her lip as she tried to hold it in.

She looks back at the tray, her stomach groaning at the sight of food. Her mouth waters in anticipation. Cold or not, she didn’t care. She was starving.

As she reaches to dig in, she clumsily knocks over a small wooden bottle behind the tray, cursing as it rolls to the floor. The cork at the top was luckily on tight, forcing her to have to wrench the damn thing free.

She recognizes the smell immediately, soothing her as she takes a deep breath.

Coconut.

She tips the jar to the side, closing one eye as she attempts to discover what’s inside.

“It’s oil.”

The sudden voice makes her jump. Was everyone determined to kill her from heart related stress today? However, the tension eases from her body when she sees Jinbei standing just outside. A smile stretched across her face, genuinely glad to see him in much better circumstances.

Koda had befriended Jinbei long ago, when Kotokami had first taken her to visit Fishman Island. Jinbei had already begun sailing under the Sun Pirate flag, hoping to achieve peace between both of their races. Kotokami had quickly agreed to an alliance with them, forming a long partnership that she considered still in place.

“Coconut oil?” She asked.

Jinbei entered the room, sliding the shoji door behind him. He gently eases himself into the chair in the corner of the room, wincing a bit as the old frame creaked and moaned beneath him. It was at that moment Koda knew he didn’t come by just to visit her.

“For your scars.” He points to her side, eyes narrowed as he continued. “That man...he is being honorable, isn’t he? You can tell me otherwise.”

Koda chokes on a bite of danish, coughing as she tried to answer. “Wh-who? What do you mean?”

Jinbei gives her a pointed look. “There’s sand in between the floorboards, I can smell him all over the sheets, and _you’re wearing his clothes._ ”

Koda pinches the bridge of her nose; blush threatening to rise up her cheeks once again. She definitely was not going to have a sex talk with _Jinbei_ of all people. She was in her thirties for Gods’ sake!

“It’s fine, Jinbei. He was just...”

Well, to be honest, she didn’t really know why he had been in her room last night. She hadn’t been in the right mind to ask.

“...keeping me company last night. He didn’t try anything.”

Jinbei huffed, folding his arms across his chest as though he didn’t believe her.

“Is this really what you wanted to talk about?”

His eyes darkened. “It’s about Luffy.”

Koda’s stomach dropped. She had been so caught up in fighting Kizaru that she had lost sight of Luffy in the fray. Come to think of it, there was quite a lot she didn’t know. Had they rescued Ace? Did Whitebeard fall? She suddenly felt selfish, angry with herself for not doing more.

“Is he alive?” She asked meekly.

Jinbei sighed. “At the moment. Though I’ve been told it’s too early to tell whether he’ll pull through or not.”

Koda clutches the sheets in her fists. She couldn’t help but feel responsible for this. She had promised to help Luffy and had lost sight of what was truly important the minute she stepped foot on the island. Her stomach slowly wound itself into an unsettling knot. Angry tears threatening to fall stung the corners of her eyes.

“Tell me everything.” Koda said finally. “I need to know.”

So he did, albeit a bit reluctantly. The war had taken a heavy toll on him as well, Koda realized quickly.

Whitebeard had really been killed. It sounded so surreal when Jinbei said it aloud. Everyone was going to die one day; sure, it was just a fact of life. But for some reason, the death of Whitebeard just hadn’t seemed like a fathomable thought until now.

And _Ace_.

The tears that Koda had been doing her best to hold back, spilled down her cheeks. She didn’t need to imagine what was going through Luffy’s mind. The feeling of helplessness and agony at watching someone you loved die in front of you was something Koda knew well, unfortunately. It was an eternal hell that never failed to pull her back in its clutches at the worst of times, as the images were played over and over again in her mind. She hated that now Luffy, too, would have to suffer through this pain.

Jinbei rose from his chair when he’d said all he had to say. He places a comforting hand on her shoulder, her own hand moving to rest atop his soon after. All they could do now was wait.

“The ship is anchored on Amazon Lily now. If you’re feeling up to it, please join us for dinner.”

Koda nods, not really listening. Everything sounded like white noise. She had failed, once again. When was this cycle going to end?

Jinbei quietly stands as he says his goodbye, heading for the door solemnly. Before he can slide the door closed, Koda calls his name.

“Thank you for the oil, by the way.”

Jinbei grumbles. “It wasn’t from me. It was from _him.”_

...........................................

Koda had to count some part of herself lucky that she had landed on an island of all women inhabitants. Many of them were kind enough to offer her their extra clothing, giving her plenty of options of clean clothes that would last a few weeks without repeat.

Crocodile hadn’t come to visit again since that morning, making her feel somewhat disappointed. As she went about readying herself for a dinner at the palace, she eyed his grey undershirt warily. She had thought of folding it and placing it back neatly on the chair for him...but her thoughts soon turned possessive.

She _liked_ wearing his shirt. It was loose around her bandages, completely unlike the tighter fitting vest one of the Amazonian’s had given her to wear for this evening. And if she was being honest, the rich smell of tobacco combined with the musky scent of earth and pine that permanently clung to the fabric was intoxicating.

Koda took one last look at the shirt before wadding it up and tucking it beneath the sheets of her bed. Out of sight, out of mind.

She slowly eases her legs into a pair of black pants, the fabric stopping just above her ankles. Last but not least were her silver-soled shoes, completing the ensemble. She still wasn’t exactly satisfied with the way she looked, but it would have to do. Koda combed through her wavy, blonde hair with her fingers, not bothering with the fuss of pulling it back as she usually did. When she was finally satisfied with her handiwork, she opened and closed the shoji door behind her.

She climbs the steps to the deck slowly, legs still remarkably sore from overuse. The fresh night air was an immediate relief, albeit somewhat chilly, yet she was still glad she had managed to pull herself out of bed. Crocodile was sitting near the helm of the ship when she emerged, one of his long legs folded over the other as he stared out to sea. He turns when he hears her footsteps approaching, a confused frown appearing on his face.

“I could have brought your dinner back to the ship for you. I was just about to come check on you.” His tone suggested that of an apology, which made her heart flutter. She had never imagined he would be so altruistic.

“I needed to get out of bed. Just lying there was making me feel worse.”

He exhales a puff of smoke from his mouth, gently rolling the end of his cigar on the ashtray in his lap. “Jinbei told you, then?”

She nods, standing beside him as they watched the tide roll in. The balmy sea breeze swept the smell of salt and seaweed through the air. Koda watches as the tranquil waves silently bubble and foam as they reach the beachfront, only to recede a moment later. The sky above glistened with the light of trillions of stars, twinkling in harmony. So _this_ was the Calm Belt.

Crocodile slowly wraps his arm around her waist, his right hand stroking up her injured side carefully. If she didn’t want to talk, he certainly wasn’t going to make her. He was perfectly content staying right where he was.

It had been a long time since Koda had felt this relaxed, though she was still far from being whole again. She leaned in to his touch, deciding just to focus on the small circles he was tracing along her bandages.

Crocodile stands after a few moments, fingers gently raking along her spine as his voice purrs in her ear. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to sit here while I fetch something for you?”

Koda lets out a breathy laugh, hoping to qualm some of the nerves stirring in her gut. “I’m going to have to run again eventually.”

He makes a non-committal sound, not entirely convinced. She shoves him playfully in the shoulder, making him chuckle. Their quiet and relaxing moment, however, comes to an abrupt end.

The door to the Heart Pirates’ submarine is suddenly ripped from its hinges, the heavy piece of steel launched far into the ocean.

Some part of Luffy must have subconsciously known a banquet was being held tonight, as he blasts through the submarine like a man possessed. He yells at the top of his lungs, a flurry of fists toppling tree after tree in the Amazon jungle. Jinbei runs down the coast after him, but he’s not nearly quick enough. The kid was going to kill himself if he wasn’t careful.

Crocodile has watched Koda long enough to know what she’s about to do. He snatches her by the wrist before she can move an inch.

“You had better stop that brat _before I kill him myself_.” He growled, frustration apparent as he grit his teeth.

Koda smiles at him, a sweet and genuine smile that travels all the way up to meet her eyes. His heart stutters in his chest, aching at the sight. Crocodile briefly wonders how angry she would be if he threw her over his shoulder and put her back in bed.

No.

He couldn’t risk it; anything to keep her smiling at him like that.

“I’ll be right back.” Koda says softly, easily prying her wrist from his enclosed fingers. She leans up on her toes, pulling on his coat so he’ll step forward. She places a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth, whispering in his ear a second later, “I’ll go straight to bed afterward. I _promise_.”

And then she was gone, disappearing from his line of vision in an instant. Crocodile blinked, his mind desperately trying to process what had just happened. She was _teasing_ him.

He grumbles, heavy footsteps stomping down the staircase that led below deck. He silently enters the room he knows Koda to be staying in, toeing off his shoes and settling into the chair in the corner. He lingered around the room for a bit, trying to busy himself as he waited. The books on the shelves were far too boring. He caught himself reading the same sentence over and over before giving up entirely.

As minutes turn to hours with no sign of Koda returning, his mood considerably darkens. He decides to move to the bed, hoping he can will himself to stay awake. His eyelids continue to grow heavier however, slipping past the point of consciousness before long.

If she wasn’t back by morning, he would look for her himself. That is, after he murdered Straw Hat Luffy, of course.


	8. Chapter 8

It wasn’t an abnormal occurrence that Crocodile would wake in the middle of the night, only to be confused why he had awoken at all. His mind was constantly racing in various different directions, often jerking him awake as soon as the reverie travelled too far. The visions almost always slipped away the moment he opened his eyes, putting him in a hellish mood that usually kept him awake for hours on end, just trying to grasp at the fleeting thought he had lost.

This particular night, however, was completely different.

Crocodile had already woken up twice, his nerves positively jittery as he waited for Koda to return. He had only been asleep nearly two hours; the rumbling sound of trees plummeting to the earth in the nearby jungle resonated throughout the island like a menacing storm on the horizon. The commotion would settle for a few minutes, only to begin again a beat later.

The sound made him grit his teeth, knowing Koda was still trying to handle Straw Hat Luffy somewhere in the thick wilderness. If she returned with even a _hint_ of any new injuries, Crocodile would kill the rat without a second thought.

Another hour goes by, the thunderous symphony of falling trees finally finished it seemed. There was still no sign of Koda.

Crocodile sits up, removing the blankets covering his lower half. He opens the small window facing toward the shore, hoping to catch a glimpse of her dashing along the beach to return to the ship. He doesn’t.

_‘Should I go after her? They certainly wouldn’t have fought each other, would they?’_

The thought makes Crocodile inherently nervous, pacing around the small room as he waited. Koda would tease him to no end if he’d come after her now.

‘ _I said I’d be right back, didn’t I? You just couldn’t wait for me?’_

He can see her smirking triumphantly, far too smug for his liking.

It wasn’t as though he didn’t trust her. He _did_. Which, in retrospect, should have bothered him more. Instead, Crocodile just felt... _relaxed_.

He lies back down, the tension in his muscles slowly ebbing away. His tired eyes eventually fell closed again, exhausted from having to force themselves open.

When Crocodile was a child, he had been told that a cure for a restless nights sleep was a glass of water and to meditate on the place that he wanted to visit most. It had always frustrated him more than anything else. He could never focus on one place, unsure of where he really wanted to go.

Years later, his problem is just the same. As the minutes tick by, he’s no closer to falling asleep, even more aggravated than before. It was ridiculous.

All he could picture was Koda’s face, smiling until her eyes crinkled at the corners. He feels himself sink deeper into the mattress, rolling his shoulders to get comfortable. The sounds of ocean life just outside began to fade into nothingness, until her muffled voice was all his mind could register.

_“You couldn’t wait up for me, huh?”_

Crocodile can feel the familiar, pleasant heat building in his belly, slowly but surely being coaxed awake by the tantalizing feeling of someone’s hand running up the inside of his left leg.

His eyes flutter open, beginning to acclimate to his surroundings. He could feel the smooth, warm feeling of sand underneath him. The roar of a nearby ocean echoes in his ears, though not as close as the approving noise humming beneath him, rewarding him with an open-mouthed kiss to the inside of his knee.

_“Look who’s awake.”_

His heart nearly stopped.

Koda was sprawled between his long legs, a dreamy smile across her face as she rested her head in the palm of one hand, the other idly tracing along the definition of his calf muscle.

_“Where are we?”_ He said groggily.

Koda snorts _,_ sucking at a patch of skin near his inner thigh _. “Anywhere you want.”_

Crocodile gives her a puzzled look, the lump in his throat attempting to form a question that never comes. She laughs, pressing on his hips as she instructed him to lie back down _._ Her fingers dip past the waistband of his briefs, teasing the base of his now obvious erection _._ He groans, head falling back into the sand below _._ His fist grasps desperately at the dust beneath him, the particles seeping through his fingers as Koda continues biting and sucking her way up his thigh, slowly moving inward.

_“You can touch me, you know.”_ She says against his skin.

The vibration sends shockwaves of pure ecstasy up his spine. Crocodile shudders, moving to thread his fingers through her hair. He massages the scalp lazily as she resumes her meticulous pattern of nibbling, licking, and kissing. Her heated breaths ghost above the fabric of his briefs, teasing his uncomfortably restrained cock.

She slides the waistband down a few inches, letting just the head bob free. His chest was now heaving, toes burrowing themselves in the sand.

“ _Where would you like to go?”_

Koda looks up at him with hazy, heavy lidded eyes, mouth hovering just above the leaking head of his cock.

“ _I...I don’t know._ ”

She gives him a sympathetic smile, fingernails gently raking across his hipbones. She eases the tip of his cock into her mouth, tongue lapping gingerly at the velvety skin as she watches his face contort in pleasure. She hollows her cheeks suddenly, sucking with a bit of force and grinning obscenely when he grunts.

Koda hums as she traveled down, clearly enjoying herself. Stars burst behind his eyelids, a low and satisfied noise escaping from deep in his throat. The hand massaging and kneading her scalp tightens, signaling her to slow down, which she bluntly ignores.

His eyes shot open, watching as the sky rapidly bleeds together in various hues of blues, reds, and oranges; never settling on one color. Clouds quickly streaked by as the world turned around them, faster and faster until it nearly made him dizzy. The scenery around them changes with the tempo of the skies, from beautiful mountainous islands, to dry sand dunes stretching on for what seemed like eternity, to the quiet and familiar privacy of his ship.

He wanted her _everywhere_.

Crocodile’s head was spinning; the way Koda was continuously giving him attention was spoiling him rotten; eagerly licking and suckling along the shaft of his cock as it throbbed in her hand.

_“I want you.”_ He says roughly.

Koda smirks, pulling away momentarily. _“I know.”_

He grumbles, feeling a twinge of embarrassment as he had expected her to reciprocate. She catches on immediately, cooing sweet praises up at him until he returns her gaze once more. She presses a long, lingering kiss just above his hips, bedroom eyes locking with his.

_“You have me.”_

.........................................

Crocodile jerks awake, the sound of the shoji door slamming closed and tired, shuffling feet across the floorboards beckoned him back to reality. He hadn’t realized he’d fallen asleep again.

He opens one eye slowly, trying to adjust to the light in the room. He’s painfully aware of the erection pressing against his briefs, somewhat sticky as it brushed against his skin. He sneakily tucks it along his waistband, hoping to conceal it as much as possible.

“Koda?” He asks sleepily, rolling over to face the door.

The sudden noise makes her flinch on instinct, but the tension quickly flows away, knowing Crocodile had been there waiting for her. She slowly slides onto the mattress beside him, a lethargic smile tugging at her lips.

“Sorry it took so long.” She mumbles, already half asleep by the time she relaxes into the pillows.

That’s when he takes a long look at her. She was unbelievably filthy. Her clothes and bandages were caked in dirt and grime, the faint red splotches of blood intermittently dotted throughout as well. There were traces of several cuts on her arms, no longer a threat as her body quickly worked to heal itself. The wounds sizzled as they began to close, not bothering her in the slightest.

But it’s not the scrapes on her arms that cause Crocodile’s fury to smolder; it’s when he finds what’s happened to her face.

He can see the beginnings of a bruise just above her right cheekbone, swelling as the skin continued to discolor. It was still too early to tell if her eye would suffer, but by the looks of the inflammation he figured it would be black by the afternoon.

His eyes slowly continued down, methodically searching for any serious injuries. The sight of her bottom lip throws him into a murderous rage; the full, soft skin was now split right down the middle. The blood dried over the wound was dark, having stopped flowing several hours ago.

_“What the hell happened to you?!”_ He snarls.

 

— “ _Luffy! You have to stop!”_

_A tree branch zooms through the air, nearly slicing the shell of her ear. She hopped out of the way quickly, using the tree beside her as a foothold._

_Her knees wobbled. That had been the quickest burst of speed she’d used yet, and it did not sit well with her stomach._

_The forest around her toppled like dominoes, trapping her in a wave of debris. No choice but to jump now. She squatted low, using the extra momentum to launch high into the air, utilizing the large trunks as stepping-stones as they made their way to the ground._

_“Luffy-“_

_“Did you really think I could be King of the Pirates?”_

_Koda skids to a halt, watching as the boy fell to his knees in defeat. He pounded his fists into the ground, tears raining down his cheeks. Blood was already leaking between the threads of bandages along his chest. If he kept this up, he would undoubtedly bleed out._

_“It doesn’t matter whether I think you could be the King of the Pirates or not. If you don’t believe it yourself, you’ll get nowhere.”_

_It was a harsh reality, but one that needed to be spoken. Koda recognized the telltale signs of a downward spiral. This was not Straw Hat Luffy. Underneath the façade of unwavering confidence and determination was just a child, scared and broken._

_Luffy clenches his teeth, letting loose a flurry of punches on the tree in front of him, obliterating the trunk into a thousand pieces. The wood chips scatter through the area, cutting through the skin of Koda’s forearms as she attempted to shield her face._

_“How could I ever be King of the Pirates if I couldn’t even save Ace? He was right there!” He sobbed._

_Koda’s heart clenched. It was like she was looking in a mirror; those awful memories threatening to bubble up to the surface._

_Luffy stands shakily. He winds up for another deafening blow, crying out in pain as he stretches the wound embedded along his chest. The bandages surrounding it begin to tear, threatening to expose the tender skin. She needed to stop this. He clearly wasn’t going to listen to reason. So she would have to use force._

_She can see the trajectory of his fist clearly, heading straight in front of them to hit a large boulder blocking their path. The rock would undoubtedly crack under the pressure, but the shock would be far too much on Luffy’s fragile bones._

_So she did the only thing she could._

_She ran right in front of it._

_His fist was unbelievably heavy as it collided against her cheek, sending her flying backward into the heavy brush. Luffy immediately calls out to her after his arms snaps back into place, distraught at having hit her so harshly. But Koda was enraged; the frustration that had washed over her after hearing the news of what occurred at Marineford was finally beginning to overflow._

_She had promised to help Luffy._

_So now she was going to keep that promise._

_Koda bolts from her hiding place in the tall grass, appearing in front of Luffy in an instant. She swings her left leg outward, the top of her foot connecting with his jaw. He coughs in surprise, blood spilling from his mouth. He falls to the ground, gritting his teeth as he slowly willed himself to stand again._

_“The only person you should be angry with is me, Luffy. I promised to help you and completely ignored everything the minute we got to Marineford.”_

_Luffy hits her again, less sharp than before but still deliberately harsh. His fist bashes into her lower lip, splitting open the smooth skin. She reels back in shock, fingers immediately flying up to wipe away the blood dribbling down her chin._

_“Did you forget what I said to you, Koda? I asked you to join my crew and promised to protect you. I couldn’t do that either!”_

_Koda kicks his legs out from underneath him, quickly wrapping his own arms around his torso and holding him in place. “And your other crew members? How are you going to protect them when you’re dead?”_

_It was as though the thought hadn’t occurred to him yet. The tears begin running down his cheeks once more, sobbing as he leaned into Koda’s shoulder. His own shoulders slumped in defeat, the both of them too exhausted to continue._

_“I have to get stronger to protect them.” Luffy looks into Koda’s eyes, that familiar flash of determination twinkling in his own. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you before. But if you’ll let me, I’d like to try again. As your Captain.”_

_Koda huffs, a tired smile beginning to tug at her lips. “A deal is a deal. You did get me out of that prison.”_

_She carefully lets go of his arms, snorting as they wiggle back in place. The subtle light of dawn was threatening to rise, bestowing pleasant warmth that the night had stolen. As they trudge back to the shoreline, Koda thinks briefly of when she should tell Crocodile. Would he be waiting for her?_

_The thought formed a knot in her stomach that she desperately tried to will away, promising herself she would tell him when the time was right._

Koda waves him away, no longer able to lift her head from the pillow. “‘S fine. Just go to sleep.”

_Fine?_ She was far from being fine.

“He hit you, didn’t he?” He said venomously.

He shoots out of bed, gathering his discarded clothing. Koda groans, incredibly irritated at his raised voice and lack of contact. Just a few pleasant hours of sleep was all she was asking for.

Crocodile fumbles to fasten his hook to his arm, still fragile after nearly being sawed in half. He would have to mend it eventually, but it would be more than enough to tear that idiot to shreds for now.

“I hit him first.” She mumbles, still partially conscious. She mumbles something else, a garbled mess of words that didn’t make sense.

Crocodile pauses, watching Koda’s chest rise and fall slowly. The poor girl was _exhausted_ , not even bothering to tuck herself underneath the blankets. He had been waiting all night to see her...maybe he was overreacting just a bit.

Koda licks her lips, wincing as her tongue brushed against the cut below. Anger surges through his veins once more, clenching his teeth as he shoved both shoes onto his feet.

“Don’t go.” She mutters, barely audible as she was speaking into the pillow.

Crocodile’s chest tightens. She sounded far too pitiful.

He sighs, unbuckling the fasteners from the inside of his hook, letting it fall to the floor with a metallic _clang_. He removes his shoes again, quietly sauntering toward her side of the bed to brush a few strands of hair from her eyes. His hand lingers across her forehead, relaxing a fraction when her temperature feels adequate. The heat in his stomach that had dimmed from earlier, flared again at the sight of her trembling under his touch.

“I’m still going to kill him.”

“Mhm.” She hums, nearly past the point of consciousness now. She still lifts up the blankets for him, ending the conversation with such finality that Crocodile didn’t press the issue again. He supposed Straw Hat could live to see another few hours.

Koda was sound asleep now, light snores whistling past her parted lips. The first rays of sunlight were beginning to pierce through the clouds, shining through the partially cracked windows of the ship. The glare was harsh, causing Koda to snatch the sheets off the mattress and roll over to the far side of the bed, mumbling in annoyance.

Crocodile rubs his temples, hoping to ease the pressure pounding in his skull. He wanted nothing more than to join Koda back in bed, waking hours later to do whatever they wished.

The thought made his mouth dry.

Yet as he looked at her more closely in the light of the sunrise, he knew sleeping would not be wise. Several of the bandages around her legs had been torn and unraveled, the cuts now contaminated by dirt and other bacteria. He gently removed the now _ruined_ Amazonian vest from her left shoulder, running his fingers along the bandages on her injured side. He carefully traced across each rib, making absolutely certain everything was intact. It seemed Straw Hat had avoided this area completely. For that, he was thankful. However, the bandages were still soaked from mud and sweat, no doubt a breeding ground for an infection. They would have to be changed. Which was not his area of expertise.

Crocodile certainly didn’t like the idea of waking her so soon, and for as long as he had known her, she _hated_ one thing above all else. Being woken up before she wanted to be.

There were several mornings back on the Kotokami ship that had begun with a member of the crew being knocked out of her cabin door before they had any idea what had happened. If the sun wasn’t overhead, she was not to be disturbed.

“Koda.” He murmured in her ear, smooth as honey. “Open your eyes.”

She growled. “ _Get_. _In_. _Bed_.”

Clearly sweet-talking was going to get him nowhere. In any other circumstance that sentence would have driven him wild, now it was just testing his patience. She squinted as a beam of sunlight struck across her face, pulling the blankets to cover her head.

“If you’re going to just stand there, you may as well block the sun.” She mumbles.

Crocodile opens his mouth to respond, only to be silenced by more breathy snores from beneath the sheets. It seemed falling asleep was also on the list of many things she could do quickly.

He smirked, lifting the sheets at the foot of the bed to pinch her Achilles’ tendon. In a flash, her foot slips out of his fingers, tucking itself back amidst the pile of extra blankets.

“Stay or go, I don’t care anymore. _Let me sleep_.” The small voice groans.

He chuckles. “ _Ouch_. That hurts, sweetheart.”

Pause.

The sheets drew back a fraction, revealing one of her tired, grey eyes. “Would you just-“ Her brows knit together, clearly frowning. “Get back in bed?”

He hated to say no to such a tempting request. With a frustrated growl he gathered her into his arms, taking advantage of the fact that she had tangled herself in the bed sheets. She yelps, attempting to kick free but to no avail. His grip tightens around her, chuckling when her squirming eventually subsided.

“Oh, what? You don’t like it when I hold you?” He purrs.

Another pause.

“This isn’t fair.”

Crocodile throws his head back and laughs, shoulders heaving as it shook through him. He begins his climb up the stairs to the deck, breathing in the fresh morning air. He carefully readjusts her position in his arms, making sure he had a firm grip on her. He wasn’t certain she didn’t have some kind of scheme to escape. With her, he could never tell.

He cautiously walked off the edge of the ship, large patches of sand instinctively lifting from the ground and flowing together to make a path for him to walk on.

“To think I could capture you so easily. Still awake, _sweetheart_?”

No response.

Crocodile laughs quietly, admiring the view of the island as he walked along the coast. The Heart Pirates’ submarine wasn’t far; the crew had been forced to anchor on land after the stunt Straw Hat pulled a few hours ago.

He silently made his way up the ramp to the submarine, sliding the blankets down so Koda’s head could be free to the open air. The woman was amazingly unconscious.

“So she’s the one who snapped him out of it, huh?”

Trafalgar Law leaned against the railing along the outside of the deck, surveying his crew as they worked to replace the submarine door.

Crocodile’s mood darkened, hesitating to take another step. “Is Straw Hat here?”

Law grins. “Luckily, no. And you’ll never believe who came to pick him up.”

Crocodile rolls his eyes, caring very little. The Captain was determined to make senseless small talk, however. Crocodile made his way down the stairs, following the path he had taken the last time he was onboard. He sets Koda down on an open surgical bed, turning back toward the Heart Pirates’ Captain who had been close behind him.

“Who might that be?” He drawled, soon realizing he couldn’t escape from this conversation.

“Dark King Rayleigh.”

Crocodile stiffens, his fist now tightly balled at his side.

Rayleigh was _here_.

His eyes flick down to Koda, immediately regretting it afterward. Law caught on in an instant.

“I’ll take your reaction to mean that the rumors are true. She really is his biological daughter.”

Crocodile slowly circles around the room, making absolutely certain he was standing in-between Law and her sleeping form on the gurney. If news leaked about the truth of her family, the bounty on her head would no doubt increase. Pirates and Marines alike would be coming out of the woodwork to string her up.

“What do you _want_? Wealth? Status? Property? I have plenty of all three.”

An amused smile curls around the Captain’s lips. “Are you begging? The great Pirate Captain, Sir Crocodile?”

He’s had _enough_ now.

Crocodile grabs Law by the throat, slamming him into the steel wall behind him. The grip squeezed tighter, only loosening when Crocodile sees sand beginning to leak between his fingers. Law didn’t seem to be disturbed in the slightest. They did still need his services, after all.

“I was only curious if the rumors are true. I have no intention of killing her. If I did, she would be dead by now.”

Crocodile squeezes tighter again. “Fix the bandages and we’ll leave. Mention _any_ of this to _anyone_ and I’ll make sure that all that’s left of you is a pile of dust.”

He rams Law’s head into the wall once more for good measure; finally letting his feet slide to the floor afterward. Law gingerly rubs his throat, the amused smile still on his face as grains of sand silently descended into the cracks of the linoleum.

“Are you going to let me past?” He says lazily, pointing to the unconscious Koda still oblivious to the situation around her.

Crocodile grunts, eventually sidestepping a fraction so Law could squeeze by. The amusement disappears from the doctor’s face as he begins to examine his patient, now completely professional as opposed to a few minutes prior. He winces at the sight of her left side, the wound still an inflamed, angry splotch. The others were less pressing, however, they all needed to be soaked, cleaned, and in some cases, re-sewn.

He sighs, clearly put out by the whole ordeal. “Before these can be changed, she’ll need to soak in the tub first. Down the ladder near the storage room.”

He waves Crocodile away toward the right direction, trying to rid his ship of the incessant annoyance.

“You expect me to have her bathe _here_?”

Law pinches the bridge of his nose. “Do whatever you’d like. Regardless, you’ll have to bring her back to me, unless, you’d like to do this yourself. You look like you’re familiar with a needle and thread.”

Crocodile looks toward Koda, ignoring the jab directed toward him. Beads of sweat slowly begin to form above her lip and brow as she shivered uncomfortably.

“Her fever is returning. You were right to come back.”

Crocodile remained still, weighing the options in his mind. There was always a chance Straw Hat could come back, or worse, Rayleigh.

Koda restlessly shifted atop the cot, wincing as she rolled over on her injured side. Law sighs again, reaching into his bag of medical tools to hand him a bottle of a thick, green salve; one that he had concocted himself.

“The aloe vera in this will ease the burning on her left side.”

A peace offering.

Crocodile eventually accepted the bottle, nodding as a means of thanks. Law excused himself then, taking his post back in front of the missing cabin door. He would give them their privacy for now. Law certainly couldn’t begin to fathom how Rayleigh factored into that relationship, but he thought that was probably wise. His crew had found themselves in a fair amount of trouble already.

.........................................

 

When Crocodile was sure the Captain was gone, he gently lifted Koda back into his arms, heading for the ladder at the end of the hall as instructed. He paused at the first rung, carefully hoisting Koda over his shoulder as he eased himself down to the basement floor. When he’s made it down below, he sets her bare back against the cool surface of the porcelain tub, grinning when she shudders appreciatively.

Koda finally begins to stir at the sound of running water. She cautiously peeks her eyes open, twisting around nervously as her brain tried to piece together where she was. She shakily removes the remaining blankets twisted around her legs, sighing in relief when she sees Crocodile hunched over the tub, squinting at the label of what looked to be some kind of medicine.

The throbbing in her head comes first, followed by feverish chills, until finally _pain_. It was enough to deflate the air from her lungs. She resisted the urge to cough, knowing that would only make things worse.

“ _Shit_ , I feel terrible.”

Crocodile chuckles, looking behind him to give her a sympathetic smile. “Punishment fits the crime, doesn’t it?”

Koda looks down at herself, blushing a deep crimson when she notices the bandages are gone. “Did you...look?”

Crocodile frowns, furrowing his eyebrows. “Of course not-“

“At my side.” Her voice was trembling, fingers shakily running across the ruined skin.

_Ah_. Yes, he had looked.

Amongst the severe burns raining down her rib cage, at the epicenter was the cause of all her discomfort; a perfectly formed imprint of Admiral Kizaru’s fist now permanently branded into her side. She attempts to cover it with her hand, though she’s unable to conceal the entire blemish. The thought of the bastard’s handprint engraved in her skin forever made her nauseous.

“Come here.” Crocodile’s voice rumbles, shutting off the water.

Koda doesn’t make any indication of moving. He exhales, sliding down the wall next to her until he was sitting on the floor. He pries her hand away from the injury, kissing along each finger. His large hand replaced hers, barely hovering above the feverish skin. If she didn’t want to look at it, he would make sure to cover it.

_Dammit_. She refused to let him see her cry. Koda turns her head away, facing the bare tiled wall as she begged the tears to return from where they came.

“Koda,” He murmurs. “You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

She couldn’t move, could no longer look him in the eye now that the tears were starting to spill over. He rests his head atop hers, lifting one of her hands to the scar across his cheek. Her fingers trace along the familiar jagged skin of the bridge of his nose, wiping away a stray teardrop with her other hand.

Crocodile presses a kiss to her temple, leaning down to whisper in her ear. “Nothing to worry over.”

His arms unravel from around her waist as she squirms in his grasp, both of her hands now coming to rest on either side of his jaw. She slowly leans forward to brush their lips together, almost experimentally as she adjusted to find the best position. Crocodile resists the urge to take control of the kiss, allowing her to set the pace instead. He gradually matched the rhythm of her lips, the clicking of their mouths echoing off the walls in the small washroom. He carefully covers her lower lip with his mouth, apologetically lapping over the split skin with his tongue. She gasps, fingers weaving themselves into his hair.

“Your water is getting cold.” He said quietly, in between soft pecks.

Koda presses one final kiss to his lips, lazily pulling away after a few moments. “Are you...?” She glances over at the tub, hoping he understands.

He strokes along the bruised skin of her cheekbone with the back of his hand. “Is that what you want?”

Koda had never been good at this sort of thing; vocalizing her desires.

She had been in relationships, although never serious, had still given her enough insight to know what to say and when to say it. It wasn’t as though she was _disinterested,_ though many of her partners seemed to make that assumption. So she learned to fake it. It was good enough that no one ever called her on it, and she supposed an ego boost never hurt anyone.

A deep rumbling chuckle from behind her expels those thoughts from her mind, leaving her more befuddled than before.

“You don’t need to look so nervous. I’m here to fix you up. Nothing more.”

He eases himself back into a standing position, offering her his hand for assistance. She accepts it willingly; using what strength she could muster to push herself off the floor as Crocodile pulled her close to him.

“Would you like me to leave so you can undress?” He spoke softly in her ear. An embarrassing chill ran down her spine.

She lets out a breathy laugh, hoping to alleviate some of the anxiety twisting in her stomach. She looks down at her tattered attire. There really wasn’t much left to be removed.

When she doesn’t respond, he turns his back to her without another word, letting her have a brief moment of privacy. Koda couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. Sure, she was far from looking beautiful at the moment. But there was a certain hunger billowing inside her, one that she hadn’t taken note of before. She _wanted_ him to look at her. However, her mouth remained shut.

She sneaks a glance back at Crocodile, still facing the other direction obediently. He wasn’t even going to _try_ to look?

As if he could read her mind, he snorted. “Would you like me to cover my eyes?”

She growled. _Great_ , now he was making fun of her.

With a frustrated huff, she unfastened the hooks to her bra, carefully removing the straps from her shoulder. Each and every joint felt like it was on fire, threatening to buckle as she tried to keep her balance.

This would really be a lot easier if _he_ did the undressing.

The thought immediately leapt from her mind as soon as it came to her. As if she were that pathetic.

Koda bit into her fist, stifling a pained cry as she tried to wriggle out of her underwear. She hooked her thumbs into the waistband, pulling the fabric down as far as she could without bending at the waist, carefully trying to step out of them the rest of the way down. Her legs were completely spent; it was a miracle she was standing on her own two feet at this point.

“All finished?” Crocodile asked, amused.

_“Give me a minute.”_ She grits through her teeth.

_That_ wipes the grin from his face. He had upset her, somehow. Something tugs at his chest, an uncomfortable flutter that was far from satisfying.

Was it something he had said?

A nagging feeling arises in the back of his mind.

Had she heard his conversation with that _idiot_ earlier? Surely not. She would have said something by now.

He had planned on telling her about Rayleigh. Any piece of information that he had, the fact that he was on the island, _everything_. He had been prepared for how upset she would be, but now that he was face-to-face with her foul mood, he didn’t like it. At all. She should be smiling. Laughing.

He was terrible at this.

An irritated sigh passes through his lips, hoping she would come around to the idea of kissing him again soon. He would...eventually tell her about Rayleigh. Yes, it was selfish. He wasn’t claiming to be a saint.

The sound of her sinking into the tub makes his ears perk up. Koda hisses at first, but soon relaxes as her body adapts to the temperature. Crocodile shifts his weight to his other foot, wondering if it was now safe to turn around. Water sloshes against the porcelain as she adjusted to get comfortable, the liquid now spilling over onto the tile. She curses, the hot water like poisoned barbs, burning at the open cuts along her body.

The water calms after a few moments, an awkward pause filling the air.

“...you can come in now.” Koda says meekly.

Without turning just yet, Crocodile begins to unbutton his shirt, shrugging the fabric from his shoulders and removing each arm in one fluid motion. Koda watches him out of the corner of her eye, blushing as she studied the taut, defined muscles of his shoulders and back, tracing down to the dimples perpendicular with the end of his spine.

Her eyes locked onto the water as soon as the familiar sound of a belt being unbuckled echoed through the air, however. She fumbled with the washcloth laid over the side of the tub, the bottle of medicine he had been examining earlier just below it.

“What’s this for?” She mumbled.

Crocodile lowered the zipper on his pants, sliding the clothing down to his ankles. He hesitates with his briefs, wondering if he should ask which she would prefer. He imagines the blush that would undoubtedly appear at such a lewd question. He chuckles softly, moving his hand from his hip as he decided to leave them on.

“It’s for the burns.”

He shuffles over to the far side of the bathtub, tapping on a patch of skin between her shoulder blades as he motioned for her to lean forward.

Koda swallows.

She hadn’t heard him walk over. She had meant to sneak a glance before this point, now she had no idea what to expect.

Koda ultimately leans forward, sucking in a breath as more of her body sank into the hot water. Not wanting to discomfort her any further, Crocodile swings a leg over the side, quickly making his descent into the warm water as well. The liquid angrily splashed along the rim, leaking over the side of the tub and splattering against the tile. Crocodile exhales, relaxing into the pleasant warmth as he leaned all the way back against the swell of porcelain.

“Come here.” He said again, soft and compassionate. It made her lightheaded.

He didn’t make a move to touch her, his voice now completely devoid of that mocking tone.

Koda gingerly lay back, albeit a bit reluctantly. She flinched at the unexpected sensation of his briefs against her leg, relaxing soon after. She had to admit she was thankful for those at the moment.

Crocodile widened his legs as far as possible, bending them at the knee. He was far too big for such a small shower, but that certainly wasn’t going to stop him now.

Only when her head was against his chest did he move, placing his left forearm over the gnarled flesh at her rib cage. Her fingers flick against the surface of the water, running down the stump of his wrist as a silent thank you. Crocodile made a promise to himself then; No other man would get this close to her again. From now on, the hand that she would always remember touching her would be his.

They sat there for a few minutes, hardly moving as they enjoyed each other’s presence in a peaceful daze. Crocodile kept his hand to himself, doing his best to be a comforting and complaisant means of company. He idly watches as she runs the washcloth along her smooth, sun-kissed skin; absolutely mesmerized. Koda dips the washcloth back into the tub, the salve turning the water to a hideous lime green color. She wrings out the excess water, pausing when she notices him watching her.

“I can feel you watching me.”

He chuckles, not bothering to deny it. “Would you like me to stop?”

_No_.

Koda chooses to ignore that question. She turns back to the medicinal wash, giving the wet cloth another fresh coat before turning it to her wounds. Crocodile’s hand that had been resting limply at his side, rose above the surface. She freezes, expecting him to touch her, and is frustratingly disappointed when he doesn’t. His hand comes to rest against his cheek, propping up his head. Crocodile was watching. And he _wanted_ her to know it.

She makes an irritated sound, attempting to reach behind her to wash the back of her neck. Her jaw clenches, sore muscles being stretched much too far. Crocodile tuts, clicking his tongue against his teeth.

“Would you like me to-“

Koda holds out the washcloth before he can finish his sentence, a furious blush running across her cheeks. He takes it from her hand, his thumb rubbing a teasing circle over the smooth skin of her wrist. He slowly glided the wet cloth down her back, urging her to lean forward so he could follow the path of her spine.

It was overwhelmingly intimate.

When Crocodile had finally reached her lower back, he began to guide the rag up again, coaxing Koda to lean back into his chest as he went. At each wince and hiss he would slow, tenderly massaging the affected area and cooing at her to relax. Koda can feel the tension and knots dissolving away, her body becoming pliant under his touch.

She still hadn’t asked for the washcloth back yet, despite having her back and shoulders scrubbed twice now. Crocodile had grinned to himself, not saying a word. But as much as he loved to stay in this position with her, however, the water had started to grow cold.

“How do you feel?”

She _felt_ like her legs were going to give out the moment she tried to stand. The exhaustion was one thing, but his massage had reduced her to mere putty in the palm of his hand.

She didn’t really trust herself to speak, but somehow managed to utter in a satisfied tone:

“Better.”

 

.............

 

That floaty, relaxed feeling was rather short-lived, however.

There had only been one clean towel to share between the two of them, which Crocodile graciously handed over to her, trying his best to overt his eyes as she dried herself off. She tapped him on the shoulder when she was finished, swaddling herself back amongst the blankets they had brought as her teeth chattered. She glared at him as he chuckled, clearing blaming him for her current predicament.

“I can warm you up, if you’d like.” He says suggestively, hoping to see that famous blush he’s developed an obsession for. She certainly doesn’t disappoint. The skin just below her eyes turns a light pink, making him grin victoriously.

Crocodile held Koda close to him as they walked back to the deck, their skin pruned and hair damp from a long soak in the bath. He kept a firm grasp around her waist, tightening when her legs threatened to crumple beneath her.

Crocodile was uncertain how long they’d been below deck, but it must have been quite a while since the door to the cabin was now freshly bolted back to its hinges. He can hear a few animated voices chattering excitedly outside, one of them he recognizes immediately as Straw Hat Luffy. The other-

He swallows, his hand hovering over the latch. Why _now_? What reason could he possibly have to see her _now_?

He needed to think of something. Quick.

“Why don’t you stay back here while I grab the doctor? Make yourself comfortable.”

Koda frowns. His mood had obviously shifted; his voice no longer held that pleasant, calming tone it usually did. His hand was nearly crushing her, thumb pressing harshly against her jutting hipbone.

“I’m freezing down here. I’d rather wait outside.”

She attempts to reach past him to pull down on the latch, but her hand is briskly snatched away. His eyes were full of fear and danger, something she hadn’t seen in him in quite some time.

“ _I said stay back_.” Crocodile growls, his temper flaring. Though one look at her shocked expression immediately makes him regret it. In a much softer tone he pleads, “Please.”

“What the hell has gotten into you? You’re _hurting_ me.” She wrenched her arm free, her own temper beginning to rise.

Crocodile quickly lets go, his hand shaking in surprise at his own unexpected rage. He gruffly bites out an apology, puffing himself up as he attempted to block the exit.

Koda was far too quick for him, unfortunately.

She sidestepped out of his line of vision, a blurred series of mirages appear in her wake as she passed. Crocodile growls, lunging forward as he tried to find the original. The original, however, was already pulling open the door.

“Hey, there you are! You’ll never guess who I found, Koda!” Luffy’s excited voice called out.

Koda stops, completely paralyzed in shock. Luffy waves happily, nudging the man next to him to speak.

_Silvers Rayleigh_.

_Father_.

“Koda. My goodness, you’ve grown.”

His voice, the voice she had tried so hard to forget. So soft and enticing, luring her in just like before.

_Fire_.

_Gunpowder_.

She can feel her knees shaking, her body desperately telling her to do _something_ as she trembled uselessly in place.

“Koda-“

Something about Crocodile’s voice makes Koda whirl around, eyes ablaze in a fiery outrage. “ _You knew._ ”

She shoved him, fully expecting his body to disintegrate into sand under her touch. It doesn’t.

“How long have you known? Is that what _this_ was all about?” She motions between the two of them.

Crocodile instinctively reaches out for her, flinching when she slaps his hand away. She was seething, clutching the blankets so tightly against her frame he thought they might tear.

“ _Koda._ ”

All three of them called out to her at once. The blood pounded in her ears, heart thudding in her chest. Her hands shook. Her feet tingled, nerve endings vibrating as her body prepared for an immense burst of speed.

Her mother’s voice suddenly called out to her.

_‘Run, Koda!’_

So she did.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to give a big thank you to silversiren1101 who helped me with this chapter. Couldn't have done it without you!

When Koda was still a child, years before being saved by the Kotokami Pirates, she was an insatiably energetic little thing, constantly bouncing off the walls and looking for anything that may pique her interest. The island that she had been born on was laughably small; approximately five miles around from start to finish. There were smaller patches of land dotted along the coast, connected by old rope bridges Koda had swung across for hours and hours.

Looking back, she knew it had been hard on her mother, a thought that frequently wedged itself in the back of her mind. Though she always remembered her mother as being kind, never a care in the world at the end of the day. Koda couldn’t ever recall a day her mother had been distant, and could never picture her as someone who lived with regrets. She had constantly told stories of her father, always adventurous and romanticized, but they had fascinated Koda to no end.

She could never understand it. How could her mother have ended up with someone like Rayleigh? How could they have been so... _betrayed_?

 _Smoke_.

 _Gunpowder_.

 _Blood_.

Koda skids to a halt, suddenly realizing she’s run much too far. The moment her body stops moving, she can feel the bitter taste of stomach acid in the back of her throat. Her skin breaks out into a cold sweat, the familiar feeling of nausea rising uncomfortably in her gut. She leans over the shore; dry heaving as she willed her stomach to empty itself. Tears annoyingly pricked at the corners of her eyes, burning as they rolled down her cheeks.

“ _Why can’t I tell my friends too? We could ask Dad where the One Piece is together!_ ” Her own small, voice echoes in her ears.

_“Not everyone is happy with your father, Koda. Let’s just keep this between you and me. It’ll be our own little secret.”_

Her mother was still desperately trying to save her, years after the fact. Koda had kept that dark secret all to herself for over a decade, even after she had been sailing for a few seasons. The only other person she had ever told was the man who had taken her in as his own child. The man that had turned her into a dangerous pirate. Kotokami.

The realization causes her stomach to lurch again, releasing another pitiful dry heave. She attempts to take a deep breath, her entire body shaking with anxiety.

Had she really been lied to all those years? And what purpose did it serve to tell Crocodile? Unless, he hadn’t. Unless-

Koda lets out a frustrated noise, pounding her fists into the sand underneath her; leaving a sizable divot when she’s finally had enough. Her thoughts were racing far ahead of her, one after the other, veering off in several different directions as she tried to make sense of it all.

Was Luffy in on this too? Had it all just been one big charade?

As the sun began to dip beneath the cover of the horizon, Koda knew she would learn nothing by staying where she was. Yet, for the first time in what felt like ages, she didn’t even have the will to run away.

..................................

“So,” Rayleigh clears his throat, adjusting the small frames resting on his nose. “You’re the one who’s determined to follow my daughter wherever she goes.”

Luffy had long since run off, heading for the palace with Jinbei as Rayleigh had instructed. Crocodile had completely forgotten that Straw Hat had even been there, his rage from earlier that morning completely slipping from his mind. The Heart Pirates’ crew had quickly followed suit, sensing this situation was one they wanted to be far away from.

Crocodile flexes his fingers, popping a few knuckles in the process. Rayleigh’s light smile never wavers, gesturing for Crocodile to sit. He removes a fresh bottle of sake from his coat, carefully easing the cork open so no liquid would splash out. He sets two dishes in front of them, casually pouring each one a drink.

“If you had planned on getting your chance at the One Piece, I assure you she has no idea where any of it is.”

Crocodile growls, a layer of sand beginning to form in his palm. “I don’t want a single coin of your _filthy_ gold.“

Rayleigh makes an unimpressed noise; flaring the temper Crocodile was already rapidly losing control of.

“I’ve certainly never heard _that_ before. Though I’m not entirely sure I believe it. I don’t think you realize how many of these talks I’ve had to have.”

Crocodile doesn’t say a word. He certainly doesn’t move to sit down and drink. His eyes remained on Rayleigh, letting the sand coating his palm fall to the ground. Rayleigh lifts the dish to his lips, smirking as he swallowed the burning liquid in one fluid motion.

“I have to thank you for what you did. Using your title as warlord to aid the Marines surely didn’t help your credibility. And I’m to believe you did it all for my daughter?”

Crocodile’s jaw tightens. No one, not even Daz, had been privy to that information. “How the hell did you-“

Rayleigh’s gaze suddenly turns serious, an invisible force hooking into every nerve ending and muscle fiber throughout his body. The phantom tendrils pulled at the bundle of nerves behind his knee, causing him to drop. “I’ve been watching you.”

The unseen presence releases him, renouncing its hold on his consciousness. He quickly regains his ability to stand, his temper now rearing its ugly head. “Why haven’t you been watching _her_? Do you have any idea what she’s been through?”

Rayleigh offers Crocodile the dish of sake again, which he promptly crushes in the palm of his hand, the remnants now falling through the cracks of his fingers. The older man frowns, his calm, courteous manner having run out it seemed.

“That was the first time I’ve approached my daughter in over thirty years. It’s been just as long since I’ve spoken to her. Yet the moment I _did_ speak to her, she ran away. What does that say to you?”

The air between them stills, the tension releasing from their shoulders. Rayleigh exhales, that invisible aura of his waning to an innocent hum. The more Crocodile looked at him, the more he appeared to be an ordinary, defeated old geezer. But Crocodile had learned his lessons about underestimating an old man. He certainly wasn’t going to make that same mistake again, and against the Vice-Captain of the King of the Pirates no less.

“Tell me what you know.” Rayleigh says evenly, pouring himself another drink.

“Why should I believe anything you have to say? _Everyone_ around her has been doing nothing but using her since she was a child.”

The jar of sake slams against the floorboards of the ship, the boat itself rumbling beneath them. Yes, he certainly was a defeated old man. Crocodile could see it in his pained expression.

“We both seem to want the same thing,” He says after a moment, taking a slow sip of sake and savoring the pleasant burn down his throat. “We want what’s best for Koda.”

Crocodile turns toward the sea, the sun now rapidly making its descent toward the horizon. The familiar twinkling of fireflies danced along the island, their faint lights fizzling out as they entered the deep jungle.

It was getting dark. Koda had no business running around in her condition. His eyes follow the path she had taken away from them, her footsteps still embedded in the sand along the shore.

“I don’t expect her to cooperate easily.” Rayleigh says finally. A small, colorfully scaled carp ascends from beneath the surface, immediately plopping back into the water with a muted splash; as though it completely agreed with the old man.

“She doesn’t have to.”

The two grow silent again; just the constant flow of water pushing at the submarine and the symphony of croaking frogs filled the empty air. Rayleigh pours himself another drink, holding the dish back out to Crocodile. The old man nods to him, his expression completely different than the intimidating shroud Crocodile had seen earlier. Rayleigh was giving him his approval.

Crocodile sighs, realizing he was going to be there for a long while. He reaches out with his sand, whipping the entire jar of sake out of the old man’s hand to pull it toward himself.

“I want to know everything. Only then will I be able to decide what’s true and what isn’t.”

Rayleigh nods again, silently agreeing. He isn’t sure where he should begin. He thinks back to when everything had been perfect; His wife tucked under his arm and Koda happily latched onto his leg. He was a fool to think it would last.

“Have you ever heard of the Lavender Seamount Islands?” Rayleigh says, speaking so low as to hide the trembling in his voice.

Crocodile shakes his head, downing a swig of sake and passing the half-emptied jar back to Rayleigh’s awaiting hand. His brow furrows as he internally tried to picture the various clusters of islands he had made a mental note of. The name still didn’t sound familiar.

“It was isolated. Quiet. Beautiful unmapped territory. I thought it would be the perfect place to start our family.”

The sun has completely disappeared now, the sky now blanketed by the cover of night. The palace seemed to be alive with revelry and celebration, which Crocodile knew without a doubt, was Straw Hat Luffy’s doing. The cacophony of constant chattering and singing drowned out the sounds of the water, flicking gently against the submarine.

“They’re gone, aren’t they? The islands.”

With a pained, hushed voice, Rayleigh whispers. “Yes.”

Crocodile looks over the waters of the Calm Belt, cursing the powers that be that dealt Koda such an unlucky hand.

Rayleigh recounts everything he can remember, from beginning to end. He pauses from time to time in the midst of his story, deviating from the heavy anecdote to share a few memories of Koda’s childhood. Crocodile can feel himself grinning, amused at each little thing he learned about her.

By the time Rayleigh had finished, the jar of sake was bone dry, the two of them now dizzily watching the stars from their backs.

“I should look for her.”

Rayleigh makes an approving noise, lifting himself from the floorboards. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

Crocodile slowly stands himself, grumbling when he swayed slightly. He really hadn’t meant to drink this much.

“You’re leaving?”

The old man shrugs. “I’ve said what I needed to say. I trust you’ll take care of the rest from here.”

Crocodile wasn’t sure how to respond to that. A simple ‘thank you’ didn’t seem to cover it. Before he can even say anything at all, Rayleigh reaches into his coat once more, removing a small, Manila-colored envelope. It had been sealed shut with some kind of adhesive, completely bound around the middle by a thick piece of leather. He hands the package to Crocodile, smiling in gratitude.

“Give this to her when the time is right. You don’t have to say it’s from me.”

He gives Crocodile an informal salute, promptly jumping over the side of the submarine and disappearing into the dark depths of the ocean below.

 _“I trust you’ll take care of the rest from here.”_ Rayleigh’s voice replays in his mind.

Crocodile tucks the envelope into his heavy coat, finally leaving to do just that.

 

..................................

He should have known that simply following her footprints embossed in the thick sand along the shoreline would still prove to be a difficult task. The impressions weaved and skidded, leaving a confusing and complicated trail to follow.

Of course she had known someone would try to follow her. Of course she had taken the proper precautions.

It certainly didn’t help that his vision was a tad blurred. That sake had snuck up on him unexpectedly, making this now tiresome experience nearly impossible. He thought about calling out to her, but immediately decides against it. The sound of his voice would undoubtedly send her running.

Crocodile squats low to the ground, cursing when one of his knees popped. His fingers glide along the print left by one of her shoes, a circular pattern that could have only been left by turning on the tip of her toe. He grinned, beginning to catch the trail again.

The path lead to a small clearing in the thick jungle. Crocodile followed the path of broken twigs and fading footprints deeper and deeper until he came across a makeshift ladder, clearly hand woven and forcefully bolted to the giant boulder it was now hanging from. He curses under his breath, pulling on the line to ensure it would hold him. The creaking sound that followed certainly didn’t instill any sort of confidence.

He sighs, gripping both ends of the rope and hoisting himself up, really beginning to regret his decision to drink. He grasps at the rock face, sand coating along his right arm to make a sufficient enough limb for him to climb the rest of the way.

 _“That damned girl better be up here.”_ Crocodile thinks to himself, now completely exhausted.

He slowly pushes himself up when he reaches the ledge, landing rather clumsily on his stomach as he caught his breath. But, sure enough, there was Koda, curled into a tiny ball of limbs and blankets as she desperately huddled for warmth. Her pitiful teeth chattered every few moments, her own body fighting against her ability to sleep.

Crocodile sighs in relief, heavy feet dragging themselves toward the covered shelter of the cavern she’d found. He blew a few heated breaths over his hand, placing it over her forehead after he was sure it was warm enough.

She was practically frozen. He would have to warm her up soon. In her condition and this temperature, she would be lucky if a cold was the only thing she contracted out here.

However, what concerned him the most, was her wounds.

He carefully eased the bed sheets away from her skin, wincing as the fabric had begun to stick to her uncomfortably. Koda shuddered, teeth continuing to chatter uncontrollably.

Her left side was obviously the worst of all, the skin still puffy and inflamed. The other cuts were less urgent now; Koda’s body had clearly been working overtime to seal the open wounds closed. Crocodile began to steadily tear away at the thin fabric of her blankets, wrapping the cloth around her rib cage. When it came time to tie them off, Crocodile gently held one end between his thumb and index finger, the other end being carefully looped through by his sand-made limb. When he had finally covered the majority of her midsection, he tore the blankets into tinier strips, fastening them wherever he deemed worthy. A sympathetic smile tugs at his lips, smoothing back the blonde curls stuck to her forehead.

Now, for warmth.

Crocodile slipped his heavy coat from his shoulders, draping the warm fur-lined clothing over her shivering form. The coat covered most of her upper half, leaving just her legs free to the open air. He pulls what was left of the tattered blankets across her legs, her entire body now swaddled from head to toe.

He waits until the moment her teeth quit chattering before returning to the cave mouth, hoping to find decent kindling for a fire, and growling in annoyance when he doesn’t.

Crocodile looks over the ledge, sighing in defeat. He wasn’t thrilled at the idea of seeing the ladder so soon, and as he slowly inches himself back down, the ladder seemed to share the same sentiment.

He gathers a large bundle of wood, enough to last throughout the night and hours more, wrapping the kindling together with a few sturdy filaments of sand. He guides the firewood back on to the ledge, staring down the flimsy ladder for the third time now. With a deep breath and an exhausted grunt, Crocodile began his climb back up to the cave. Again.

Koda was still sound asleep when he returned, a healthy pink flush now tinting her cheeks and nose. A bit of tension eases from his shoulders, turning his attention toward making a fire. Sand coats the skin of his forearm, forming a two-pronged claw at the wrist. After creating a small nest of sticks and dry leaves, he plucks a durable piece of wood from the stack, beginning to whittle away at the kindling. It was a painstaking process of trial and error, one that had Crocodile’s patience wearing thin. Yet, he finally managed to create a spark, quickly blowing on the faint embers until it spontaneously spread to the dry leaves and bark that blanketed the pyre.

 _Finally_.

He sinks down to the ground, opposite where Koda was currently laying. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her the moment she woke up.

Which wasn’t a moment too soon.

 

..................................

 

_Fire._

_Gunpowder._

_Blood._

Koda gasps, eyes shooting open at the sound of the crackling fire. She felt too constricted, too vulnerable, as she tried to wrench herself free of whatever was holding her in place. It was hot. Too hot. She tries to scramble away, eyes wild and terrified when she realizes she still can’t move.

“Koda,” Crocodile whispers, soft and coaxing. “You’re safe. It’s just me.”

Koda looks up, her grey eyes locking with his. She struggles beneath her blankets, quickly noting they were, in fact, blankets and not something more sinister. Her fingers graze along her side, eyes widening in surprise when she feels the sheets covering her wound.

_He actually went looking for her. Cared for her._

She shakes her head, chiding herself for wanting to believe it was real. In a bitter voice she mutters, “Just you? That’s supposed to make me feel comfortable?”

Crocodile stokes the fire, compulsively prodding at it with the same piece of wood he had used to start it. Koda watches him silently; defiantly shrugging his coat from her shoulders when she notices it’s there.

She was tired of being used. She was tired of being lied to. But more than that, she was tired of not knowing the truth. If he was determined to follow her around, he was going to answer her questions.

“Who told you? Where is _he_?” She grits through clenched teeth.

“He’s gone,” Crocodile quickly answers, wanting to quell any incoming anxiety she may have. He had finally gotten her awake; hell would have frozen over before he’d let her run off again. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know, Koda.”

He pauses, waiting for her to return his gaze. “Just promise me something.”

Koda laughs, a hollow, empty sound. It was far from the rich and contagious laughter he knew to be hers.

“What am I promising to?” She sneers.

“That you’ll believe every single word of what I’m about to tell you. I can’t imagine how badly you want to know the truth.”

Koda’s mouth snapped shut. The fire sparked and sizzled between them as it grew, suffusing the silence in the air. She certainly hadn’t expected him to say _that_.

“Why should I believe you?” Koda snaps, tears already threatening to spill over.

“You don’t have any reason to. I should have told you what I knew years ago.” He swallows, doing his best to hold her gaze. “I know extending my apologies doesn’t begin to make a difference but,” He pauses again, brow furrowing as he tried to phrase his next words carefully.

“I...am... _sorry.”_ He manages to whisper through clenched teeth.

Crocodile knew he was prattling on, nervously trying to gain her approval before she could decide she wanted to disappear again. The look on her face told him she was just as terrified as he was. Her eyes frantically searched his features, a hard and calculating stare that sought to find some evidence of a lie. She found nothing.

Koda’s teeth involuntarily begin to chatter again, the heat from the fire not nearly enough for her numb appendages. Crocodile exhales, sliding over to her end of the fire to grasp his coat that had fallen behind her back, delicately draping it back over her shoulders. Koda huffs, ready to shrug it off again, but the _warmth._ It was an unbelievable relief to her constant shivering.

“Fine,” Koda manages after a few minutes. “But I’m going to ask the questions.”

Crocodile doesn’t argue. He nods in agreement, ever so slightly inching toward her. Koda makes an exasperated noise, shuffling away from him again.

“If I think you’re lying to me at any time, I want you to leave and never come back.”

He nods again, a bit slower this time. As frustrating as it was, she had all the control of how their relationship would proceed from here. If she never wished to see him again...he would honor that, as much as it pained him to admit it.

Koda takes a deep breath, bracing herself for the inevitable heartache that was going to be inflicted.

“Who told you Rayleigh was my father?”

Crocodile could see it in her eyes. She already knew the answer. He needed to rip off the bandages quickly and let her process it the way she needed to. He would pick up the pieces.

“Kotokami,” He said evenly. “He had planned on using you as...leverage at first, until you told him you hadn’t seen Rayleigh in years. He nearly killed you.”

Crocodile can’t bring himself to look at her. He can feel her eyes boring into him, silently begging him to continue.

“He figured...if he could find Rayleigh and keep you as his _hostage_ ,” The word sounds disgustingly blasphemous as it grinds through his teeth. “Rayleigh would eventually confess the One Piece’s location.”

Koda suppresses her instinct to lash out, accusing him of such a filthy lie. Her stomach flips, flooding her system with an acute wave of nausea. Crocodile’s eyes soften, wondering if he should have phrased that differently. Though he couldn’t imagine it would sound any better, even twisted around with different words.

“Kill me? He was going to-“ Her chest began heaving, the blankets constricting her movements suddenly making her feel claustrophobic, desperately trying to free herself as she tried to come to terms with it all. “He was going to kill me? How could he...how could he-“

Crocodile couldn’t bear to listen. He couldn’t imagine her inner turmoil, her tiny voice breaking as she continued to mutter unintelligible sentences.

“I would have never let that happen.” He says firmly, though she couldn’t hear a thing.

Koda’s body shook as she hyperventilated. The truth was far worse than she could have ever imagined. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know what was coming next.

“Why?” Her small voice trembles, lip quivering as she tried to speak. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Crocodile purses his lips, letting a small puff of air pass between them. His frustration was not directed toward her, yet he knew she would be the target if he didn’t keep his temper in check. He flexes the fingers of his hand, trying to aid the circulation of blood running to his veins.

“I asked you to run away with me.” His jaw clenches, looking toward the mouth of the cave. “You said no.”

Koda growls, her voice cracking as she tried to yell. “You never _told_ me! I couldn’t go! He was-“

And then it dawns on her. Her stomach makes another unsettling lurch, causing her to turn her head and cough in the opposite direction. Her left side screamed out in pain, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks in streams. Finally, _finally_ , she understood what he had tried so assiduously tell her years ago.

“He was never going to die.”

Crocodile stiffens, still facing the jungle outside. “No. He wasn’t.”

Her shoulders slumped as she leaned forward, cradling her head in her hands. Crocodile had to resist the urge to touch her, knowing it would be far from welcome at the moment. All he could do was tell her what she wanted to know. His chest ached; intensely wishing he could make it all go away.

“Did you send the Marines?” She whimpered.

The woman was far too intelligent for her own good.

“Yes.” He grits, teeth still clamped together. “By the time they found you, I was already in prison.”

His temper begins to rise, thinking of how low the Marines had made him sink, only to betray him later. He takes a shaky breath, looking back toward Koda’s trembling form. She looked entirely too small. Too powerless.

“They had agreed to let you go. It was only when you arrived at Impel Down that I knew I had been double-crossed.”

Koda inches closer to him ever so slightly. “What else?”

Her voice was full of despair. She had already suffered so much; a child with no childhood to speak of. Crocodile was slowly re-opening all of her old wounds, a thought that sickened him straight to his core. She looked so much like a frightened child, still trying to understand what she did to deserve this.

“Will you tell me something first?”

Koda lifts her head slowly, turning away from him so she could wipe at her nose with the back of her hand. Only turning back to reply, “ _Like what_?”

Crocodile smiles at her, so gentle and sincere that a faint blush rises right beneath her eyelashes. She turns away again a second later, mumbling into her palm. “What do you want to know?”

The corners of his lips twitch as he holds in a chuckle. Defiant and stubborn through every fiber of her being; _that_ was certainly the Koda he knew.

“Will you tell me about your home?” He asks softly.

Koda freezes. Various images come to the forefront of her mind in a dizzying haze. The fire pops suddenly, causing her to jump. She looks down at her hands, making absolutely sure they were clean, no longer caked in soot and blood. “I don’t remember much from that night.”

Crocodile sighs, adjusting the coat around her shoulders as it had begun to slip down on one side.

“I didn’t mean that.“ He grumbles, frustrated at how insensitive he could be. “I only wanted to know what it was like. It sounded...beautiful.”

Koda relaxes a fraction, bundling further into Crocodile’s massive coat. It had always been difficult to remember the nice things the Lavender Islands had given her. She thinks of her mother, bright-eyed and full of life. Their house at the end of the short rope bridge, sitting atop a jutting plateau covered in purple wildflowers. Koda could remember swinging their front door open as hard as she could, just to watch the fallen petals blow away in the wind.

“I wish I could have seen it.” Crocodile’s voice rumbles next to her.

Koda blushes, completely unaware that she’d been speaking out loud. She rubs the back of her neck, wincing when she stretches her injuries a tad too far. She subtly leans toward him, eyes falling closed as his radiating body heat lured her ever closer. Crocodile doesn’t move a muscle, pretending he doesn’t notice.

“What did you like to do?” He asks, honestly curious.

The island he had been raised on was colossal; he had seen new faces every day, feeling completely insignificant in a sea of people. Crocodile had always wondered what it would have been like to grow up on a small piece of land, surrounded by others who genuinely enjoyed his company.

Koda blinks, completely caught off guard. No one had really asked her that before.

“I would go into the harbor every morning, just to see if any new ships had docked,” She starts, listing off anything she could remember.

Crocodile’s chest tightens. _She checked to see if her father’s ship had docked every morning._

Koda continues, a hint of a smile ghosting across her lips as she told him of the secret fishing pool her mother had shown her, right below the rope bridge that led her home. Yet she pauses suddenly, brow scrunched as though she had just remembered something unpleasant.

“There’s more you have to tell me,” She says quietly, the faint sliver of her brightening mood diminishes in an instant. “Isn’t there?”

Far too intelligent for her own good. Crocodile stays true to his word, however, and answers honestly. “Yes.”

Koda looks down to the ground, arms wrapping around her bent knees. “Is it about my father?”

Crocodile stands slowly, sauntering over to the bundle of wood he had gathered earlier. He plucks a few moderately sized pieces from the stack, throwing them on to the dwindling fire. He frowns, watching as Koda uneasily moves away from its warmth.

As he eases himself back down to the ground, he suddenly spoke in a low voice. “Your father isn’t the man you think he is.”

Her head whips around, clouded eyes now full of uncertainty and distrust. Crocodile can see the faint signs of anger beginning to billow outward, her hands clenched so tightly he thought she might hit him. If that were truly what she wanted, he would allow her to do so.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” That venomous tone was back again, her temper steadily rising.

 _‘Rip the bandages.’_ He told himself.

As much as it was going to sting, deep down he knew she wanted to hear it. It was a burden that had been entrusted to him to carry. If he wanted _either_ of them to harbor any sort of trust for him, he would need to finish what he started.

“Your father didn’t destroy the islands. You’ve been lied to.”

Koda snarls, the rage she had barely been able to contain suddenly boiling over as she swings her left arm outward, slamming into the cave wall in the blink of an eye. The limestone slab cracks, the fissure careening downward until it met the surface of the ground.

She hisses immediately, gripping her now throbbing fingers as she lets loose a string of expletives at the top of her lungs. Crocodile exhales, feeling partially responsible for this, as he attempted to reach for her hand. Koda shoves him away, or rather, tries to shove him away as she shuffled backwards, feet pushing her further from their makeshift campsite.

But he’s had enough. He certainly wasn’t a patient man, and that pitiful, defeated expression has been staring back at him far too long. He was determined to make Koda smile again. To make her _his_ again.

Crocodile snatches the injured hand away from her, tracing soothing circles over the reddened skin. The act had clearly caught her by surprise. She stilled, unsure whether to surrender or escape.

“You don’t have to run.” He says quietly, trailing his fingers along a faint, silvery scar at the fold of her wrist. She flinches, unhappy that he’d found it.

Crocodile delicately pulls her closer, her body now completely malleable under his touch. She falls forward, too exhausted to even pretend to push him away. He catches her before she’s fallen too far, arms encircling themselves around her. He feels her shoulders begin to shake as she sinks into his chest, fists grasping at the now dirtied mess of his shirt.

Koda chokes, trying her hardest to swallow her involuntary sobs. But it’s far too late. The tears fall with a will of their own, soaking Crocodile’s shirt in thin rivulets. He says nothing, opting just to hold her in silence. The palm of his hand cups the back of her head, holding her tightly his chest. As she continued to whimper and cry, he never moved an inch, letting his entire body cover her in a comforting embrace.

It’s quite awhile before Koda’s cries subside, her breaths now coming in short, trembling pants. Crocodile’s hand weaves its way into her hair, twisting the curls absentmindedly between his fingers. Rain was now falling heavily outside; the sound of water pelting against the vegetation provided a soothing, steady noise. The wind gradually began to pick up speed, blowing the occasional gust of rainwater into the safety of the cave. The fire sizzled and smoked when a sporadic drop of rain found its way into the flames.

Crocodile grunts suddenly, adjusting one of his legs as it had fallen asleep. Koda makes an amused noise, mumbling something incoherent into his shirt.

“I can’t hear you, sweetheart.”

Koda lifts her head, a surprisingly mirthful smile slowly stretching across her face. “You smell like alcohol. Have you been drinking?”

Crocodile huffs, mumbling something incomprehensible to Koda’s ears. She can see the subtle rosiness beneath his cheeks, one of the many telltale signs after a night of binge drinking.

“Do I drive you to drink?” She asks softly, a hint of amusement in her voice.

His response is a full, genuine laugh. Something about the fact that she could make him laugh like this satisfied her to no end. He bends down, placing a quick kiss to the top of her head. “Maybe you did tonight.”

Koda settles back into his chest, that raw and agonizing feeling of nausea and pain had finally subsided, leaving her feeling numb and emotionally drained.

“He worries about you...I do too.”

She grabs the fabric of his shirt a bit tighter, fingers slipping beneath the cloth to warm them. She didn’t care to reach too close to the fire, and he was happy to oblige.

“He said that to you?” Koda asks quietly.

The fire crackles loudly as one of the logs snaps in half. Sparks fly into the air, spilling onto the ground and eventually fizzling out.

_Fire._

_Gunpowder._

_Blood._

Koda takes a shaky breath, trying to focus on the steady sound of Crocodile’s heartbeat. His hand traces up and down her back, slowing as his fingers slid across the blankets bandaging her left side.

“Do you remember the crew of the Roger Pirates?”

Koda frowns, annoyed that he’d changed the subject so suddenly. She wished she could anticipate where his train of thought was going. Of course, her father and Roger immediately came to mind; their faces concrete and easy to recall. The others were less easy to remember, but she eventually managed to list them all-except one.

 _“_ Shan Valentine. _”_ Crocodile mutters, more to himself than to her.

Her frown deepens, pulling away from his annoyingly distracting caress. She didn’t believe she knew anyone by that name. The look on his face was obvious, however. She _should_ know this man. Koda closes her eyes, vehemently concentrating on the memories she had of that night, only to turn up empty.

“I don’t remember...” She says eventually, brows creasing as she continued to think.

“Your father’s been doing his research,” He pauses, watching the way she curiously looks up at him. “Ten years after Valentine’s supposed death, there was a massacre on the south side of the Grand Line. Survivors claimed their crew began to turn on one another; telling the Marines their own voice had commanded them to do so.”

Koda shuddered at the thought. Still, none of this was sounding remotely familiar. She tired to picture the name in her brain, a blurred silhouette seared into the recesses of her mind. The more she tried to delve deeper, the more her head throbbed.

“So...this Valentine... _pretended_ to be my father?”

Crocodile makes an affirmative noise. “Among others. Clearly someone on his crew did something to your memory.”

He waits for the tears to fall again, completely prepared to hold her for as long as she wanted. Yet, her expression remained scrunched in an irritated frown, desperately trying to remember some piece of information that may be helpful. This was definitely the Koda he recognized. Always on the offensive.

“Rayleigh gave me a lead on where to start. As soon you depart with Straw Hat, I will too.”

Koda’s stomach flips. Her eyes snap up to meet his, a look of bewilderment passing across her features. He chuffs, resting his head against the palm of his hand.

“You didn’t think I’d find out about that?”

No, it wasn't that. In reality, the thought had simply just slipped her mind. Her head ached, the massive influx of information suddenly weighing her down. She sighs, her fingers trying to massage away the pressure building at her temples. She couldn’t begin to make sense of it all, Valentine, Rayleigh, Kotokami; she replayed everything she knew about them in her mind, soon becoming frustrated when she couldn’t seem to focus on any of it.

All her brain wanted to concentrate on was Crocodile. The warning bells that often rang in her ears at the first sign of danger had long since subsided, her mind no longer associating the man as a threat. Since when? At what point did he stop becoming dangerous to her?

He had followed her every step of the way, if anything he had said was remotely true, which, Koda had completely accepted without question. Why? Why her? She certainly wasn’t going to get any answers keeping this to herself. And yet, she was almost frightened at the thought of what his answer may be if she _did_ ask.

“ _Koda_.” The firm and worrying tone of his voice clouds her thoughts, eventually making them slip away as she decided to focus on the man himself instead.

“Hm?” She hums quietly.

“You haven’t said a word in nearly half an hour,” He grumbles, throwing a leaf into the fire that had been swept inside from the storm. “Are you all right? Did you remember something?”

Koda shakes her head, an unexpectedly serene smile on her face as those sparkling grey eyes eventually met his. He swallows, a knot slowly beginning to form in the pit of his stomach. She had never looked at him that way before. Ever. This was something new. Crocodile files the expression away in the back of his mind, knowing he will obsess over it later.

“I was just thinking about you.” She says innocently.

He blinks rapidly, repeating under his breath. “Me?”

It suddenly feels like he’s been punched in the stomach, that familiar feeling of air slowly being pushed from his lungs. The skin along the jagged edges of his scar begin to redden, an involuntary blush he could do nothing to hide. The buzz from the alcohol definitely wasn’t helping. “Why me?”

Koda huffs, running a shaking hand through her hair. It didn’t give her nearly the same amount of comfort as when he had done it. “I could ask you the same question.”

Crocodile gives her a lopsided grin, his eyebrows slowly rising as he eventually came to the realization.

 _Ah_ , so that’s what this was about.

He should have told her long ago. The words had always threatened to leap from his mouth, only to lump uncomfortably in his throat. As he furiously willed that annoying blush to disappear, he decided to tease her a little. His new favorite hobby.

“You certainly have nothing to worry about, _sweetheart_. I’m not going to step out on you. I know you don’t like to share.” He said mischievously.

“That’s not what I-“ She starts, her mouth snapping shut when she hears him begin to laugh. Of course he was messing with her.

Crocodile opens his arms, motioning for her to lie between his outstretched legs. She faces away from him, not giving him the satisfaction of looking at her face while he ruffled her feathers. He makes an amused noise, bending down to place a quick kiss to her temple. The throbbing in her head disappeared for a moment.

“Is that all, you ridiculous girl?” He punctuated the sentence with another chaste kiss to the shell of her ear. “You think I’m going to change my mind? That I have no reason to do what I’m doing?”

Her shoulders lift a fraction of an inch. A hesitant shrug.

“That night we spent at that god forsaken fishing village in the East Blue,” His eyes flick down to the back of her head, looking for any sort of movement. “You went without dinner after you lost your share of the money. What was your excuse again? You gambled it away?”

Crocodile laughs as he remembers it, how ridiculous those words had sounded coming from her mouth. Koda’s head turns toward him slowly, a confused look on her face. Surely he didn’t...

“I saw you give your share away to that homeless woman. Even if I hadn’t, that lie was easily transparent.” He continues, a hint of pride in his voice.

That night had been at least ten years ago now. Koda couldn’t believe he had remembered such a thing. In her mind, it had been so trivial; she hadn’t thought about it since the night it happened. It was for that very reason that Crocodile had come to respect her.

“You’ve never boasted about your strength, though you certainly could.“ His arms wrap around her waist, lips returning to the shell of her ear. Koda sighs, body going lax under his ministrations.

“You’re loyal to a fault.” He rumbles, accentuating his point with a kiss to her cheek.

“Intelligent.” Another kiss, just at the corner of her mouth. She was practically melting in his arms, instinctively turning her head toward his lips.

“Beautiful.”

She had heard enough. Koda turns completely, hands flying up to the nape of Crocodile’s neck as she pulled him down for a bruising kiss. He makes a satisfied grunt, adjusting his positioning so she could sit comfortably in his lap. Their lips were hungry, tongues delving inside one another’s mouths in reckless abandon. Every troubling thought that had been swirling around in her mind suddenly ceased, leaving just one to remain.

 _Crocodile_.

She gasped as he sucked her lower lip in between his teeth, tongue smoothing over the split skin. Her fingers entwined themselves in his hair, completely delighted at the sound he makes in response. He slows their kisses, elongating each one when their lips would eventually separate. He could feel Koda’s hold at the nape of his neck steadily loosen, her body sinking further into his arms. His hand brushes against her hip, lightly squeezing to get her attention.

 _No response_.

Crocodile pulls away slowly, his swollen lips stretching into a complacent smile. She was completely unconscious, softly snoring as she instinctively curled away from the fire. The poor girl was exhausted, finally giving in to the call of sleep, which she so desperately needed. He settles himself behind her, making absolutely certain he’s laying the closest to the fire, before nuzzling into the back of her neck.

 _Finally_.

..................................

  
Waking up in a place she hadn’t remembered being taken to was usually a frightening thought, however, Koda was grateful for it in this instance. She awoke comfortably, the familiar features of her room on the Kuja Pirates’ ship slowly blurring into focus.

That constricting feeling of fresh bandages was back again. Though, she took comfort in the fact that they only seemed to be surrounding her rib cage, surrounding the burn that was continuing to be a thorn in her side. The rest of her body was now free to the open air; she wiggled her toes, just to be sure. But what she didn’t take comfort in, was the fact that she was alone. The bed was only warm on one side, clearly indicating she had been by herself for quite a while now.

Koda sits up slowly, eyeing the fresh pile of clothes awaiting her at the foot of the bed. All of Crocodile’s belongings were now missing from the room, including his hook, which made her relatively nervous. She sighs, deciding to remove herself from the pleasant warmth of the blankets.

The clothes were just her size, a welcoming change to the random assortment of oversized clothing she’d been wearing over the last few days. She looks at herself in the mirror, shaking her head at the rather horrifying dark circles underneath her eyes. The hours she had spent sleeping had not been nearly enough; yet, after the events of the night before, she knew that sleep would be much easier to find from now on.

The sun was harsh when she finally found herself above deck, having to shield her eyes from the sudden glare. She scans the island for anyone familiar, her eyes widening in surprise when she finds exactly who she’s looking for. On a patch of land overlooking the ocean, was Crocodile, his signature hook brandished upon his left arm, speaking with none other than Straw Hat Luffy.

Koda’s stomach shifts uneasily. She should intervene before this could potentially get violent. They were too far to read their lips, though the expression on Luffy’s face certainly didn’t indicate this was a pleasant chat. She should do something. She needed to-

“I’m afraid that conversation isn’t for you to hear.”

Startled, Koda whirls around, hands falling to her sides. It was Jinbei, comfortably lounging at the helm as he watched the waves of the Calm Belt slowly arrive to the shore. It was obvious he had been waiting for her. She frowns, looking back toward the island. Crocodile was nodding, seeming to agree with something Luffy had said. _That_ made her nervous.

“What are they talking about?”

Jinbei gives her a pointed look, an amused smile on his face. Her frown deepens. She didn’t like the idea that they were talking about her. She definitely didn’t like the idea that they were purposely doing it without her being involved.

Crocodile looks toward the ship suddenly, a satisfied grin tugging at the corners of his lips when he sees Koda staring at them. Her heart pounded against her chest.

“They’ll come to an agreement, I’m certain.”

She nods absentmindedly, as if she had understood what that meant entirely. That unsettling feeling in her stomach was beginning to become more noticeable, however, worrying as to what they might be needing to agree to.

 


	10. Chapter 10

It was far too quiet. Every creak and groan of the Kuja Pirates’ ship was further reminder that Koda was alone, and had been for some time now. The ocean waves slapped against the sides of the boat, idly rocking the vessel back and forth as it sat in the harbor. 

She huffs, stretching out her limbs until they fell limply over the side of the bed frame. The bed shuddered angrily against the floorboards. 

How much longer were they going to talk? Koda couldn’t imagine them both remaining civil enough to converse this long. 

She releases a long sigh, knowing she was being overly dramatic. It had only been an hour since she’d woken up. But after everything Crocodile had done for her the night before, she wanted to thank him as soon as possible. Her cheeks flushed the longer she thought about it, daydreaming to the extent with which she could show her gratitude. 

Kissing him had been an experience all on its own. Koda had expected him to be much more rough and assertive, taking what he wanted with no questions asked. She could remember the feeling of his hand sliding across her skin, calloused and hardened from years of constant use. His hand had killed many, more than she probably cared to know. For a man as famously dangerous and short-tempered as he, there was a part of her that had been prepared for that sort of aggressive behavior. But much to her surprise, however, he had been unthinkably _soft_. Compassionate, even. 

A shiver ran down her spine. 

She was going to go insane just sitting and waiting for him to arrive. She may as well put herself to good use. 

Koda eased herself into a sitting position, wincing at the effort it required. The pain in her core was still excruciating, every little movement causing a twinge of discomfort. She looked toward the ancient bookcase against the wall, dust lining its thick shelves. Standing slowly, she made her way to the wash room, hoping to find some sort of cleaning supplies stowed away underneath the cabinets. 

Cleaning had always calmed her, in this odd, relaxing sort of way. It was an easy enough task for her; zipping around this way and that as she wiped down every surface she could touch. The smell of fresh tropical fruit began to fill the room as she cleansed each surface in strong chemicals. She eyed the bookshelf last, carefully dusting along the spines of each forgotten book, coughing when a few particles got in her mouth. 

Koda shuffles over to the small window lazily, cracking it a fraction to allow the sea breeze to gust through. She resisted the urge to peek outside, wondering if Crocodile was still sitting along the coast. She hoped not. It was obvious he was exhausted from the night before, possibly even more than she was. She speculated momentarily if she could convince him to sleep here, if he would actually be comfortable in such a small room. When she had been startled awake just days before, she had noted with a bit of amusement at how far his legs draped over the end of the bed frame. 

“Oh,” A tired voice suddenly mumbles behind her. Koda jumps nearly three feet in the air, just narrowly avoiding hitting her head against the low ceiling. Crocodile’s eyes soften as she turns around, offering a silent apology. “I was just coming to check on you...I thought you might be asleep.” 

His eyes widen as he looks around the room, inhaling the pungent scent of the cleaning solution she’d been using. He looks at her amusedly, a wistful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

“Have you been cleaning in here?” 

Koda laughs nervously, suddenly feeling far too much like an awkward teenager, fumbling for the right words. “Well I was just-I mean I’d feel guilty just leaving a mess in here. So...” 

She gestures around to the spotless bedroom, every piece of furniture practically sparkling in the sunlight. She had even taken the time to make the bed, fluffing the pillows and folding back the sheets invitingly. Crocodile hovers in the door frame, unsure whether he should let himself in or not. He had fully expected her to be asleep. His glassy, heavy-lidded eyes were pitifully looking at the bed, silently begging to be let in. 

Koda can feel the words forming around her lips before she can stop them, the lump in her throat giving way to some newfound confidence she hadn’t realized was there. 

“You should use the bed in here.” 

Crocodile’s eyebrows slowly raise in surprise, the beginnings of a blush blooming beneath the edges of his scar. Koda swallows audibly, nervously stuttering as she tried to continue. “If you’re tired that is. I mean of course you’re tired-you look terrible.” 

“Great,” He flattens, rubbing his jaw self-consciously. He knew he should have shaved this morning. “Thanks.” 

Koda immediately regrets it the minute she says it. She could just slap herself. 

“Oh! _No_! I didn’t mean that-I just meant you just look, uh,” She stuttered rather pathetically. 

It gave her the chance to finally get a good look at him. Yes, his eyes were sunken in, coupled with dark rings beneath his lids. Yes, his scar looked more defined, worry lines etched along his brow.  Yet those eyes were unexpectedly warm, watching her with an unequivocal fondness. His hair had been poorly slicked back, a few locks falling haphazardly around his face like she secretly loved, and that pleasant five o’clock shadow that was completely new to her. He looked-

 _Handsome_. 

Crocodile snorts. “Tired?” 

 _Attractive_. 

She lets out a breathy laugh, adjusting the tight bandages constricting her rib cage while stepping aside to allow him in. The shoji door slides open further, letting Crocodile pass through without any fuss. The ghost of his usual, overconfident smile had returned, dipping his head to avoid smacking into the doorframe. 

Crocodile can feel his muscles relax the moment he crosses the threshold, sighing in relief at just how cozy it was inside. Much more satisfying than the cold, unforgiving ground of some god-forsaken cave.

He toes his shoes off lazily; sand leaking from his pant legs into small mounds against the cracks in the floorboards. He collapses onto the mattress, immediately deflating as he sank further into its warm embrace. The only thing it was missing, was-

“Well I’ll...just leave you to it, then.” Koda said quietly, still loitering near the door. 

He turns his head to the side, one of his tired eyes gazing with such uninhibited want that Koda freezes. They’re clearly asking her to stay, pleading desperately without saying a word. She takes a tentative step forward, a question beginning to form around her lips. The sound never makes it past her throat. 

A twisting, coiled whip of sand encircles around her wrist, beckoning her closer as he shuffled to free a bit of space on the near side of the bed. He doesn’t say please, but she can clearly see the word is at the tip of his tongue. That piteous expression tugged at her heartstrings. He clearly wished to remain silent, afraid he would embarrass himself with such a request. 

As if she would deny him such a thing. As if she _could_. 

Koda carefully slips onto the mattress beside him, the beginnings of another question attempting to escape her lips. Crocodile raises an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue, but she simply waves it away, the words completely dissipating from the forefront of her mind. It was clear whatever she had meant to say was far less important than him; her smile pleasantly returning after sweeping across the prickling hairs along his jawline. 

Crocodile makes a satisfied noise, curling toward her succulent caress. The moment his cheek rests against her chest, the tightness in his limbs finally beginning to loosen. She takes a few stuttering breaths, acclimating to this oddly...pleasant feeling of being squeezed underneath his body weight. 

“Thank you, by the way,” Koda says softly, her thumb smoothing over the rough patches of stubble blanketing his cheek. He stirred slightly, but never made a sound. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you enough actually.” 

His breathing begins to slow, fingers releasing their weak hold on her waist. Koda attempts to wriggle herself into a better position, suddenly aware of just how stuck she was. 

“Croc-“ 

A low, rumbling snore passes through his lips. She abruptly stills, no longer trying to squirm free. It was clear that his body desperately needed sleep, and she certainly wanted to ensure he had plenty of it. She couldn’t remember a time when he looked this exhausted; his abrasive facade had instantly shattered the moment he entered her room. 

Koda lets herself relax, trying to focus on synchronizing their breathing. His snores grew louder, filling the room every few seconds. With one hand weaving its way through his hair, the other lovingly stroked the whiskers trailing along his jaw. Her heart pounds violently against her chest, so volatile she feared its incessant beating would wake him somehow. Yet, his face remained completely at peace, not a sliver of discomfort to be seen. 

She idly wonders if this is what her life would be like, in a relationship with him. She lets her mind wander for a moment, her fantasies running wild with imagination. Crocodile had a protective arm snaked around her waist, barking out commands as he held her close. His expression only softened when he looked at her; his fury only subsiding underneath her touch. It was frightening and exhilarating all at once. 

He seemed intent on doing whatever it takes to have her, and as she continued to lazily run her fingers through his hair, Koda knew- 

She wanted him too. 

______________

The balmy sea breeze of Amazon Lily slowly coaxes Crocodile awake. It was difficult to determine the time of day, but his best assumption was dusk given the eerie silence radiating throughout the port. The lethargy in his muscles had all but disappeared, leaving him feeling comfortably refreshed. He blindly reaches around him, patting the walls and bed sheets for anything remotely familiar in hopes of finding a bit of light. It was a failed venture, it seemed. The muted colors of the furniture weren’t doing him any favors either. 

He grumbles, adjusting the positioning of his legs as they had slumped over the end of the bed frame. As he reaches to tear the blankets away from his torso, he nudges Koda’s hip with his elbow, wincing as she begins to rouse. 

She sighs suddenly, unconsciously stretching into a full body extension. Her toes flexed forward, mouth parting in a lackadaisical yawn. The joints in her ankles popped as they twitched back to life, one of her silver eyes partially opening. 

“Hey, you.” Koda mumbles, voice still raspy from sleep. She’s not entirely sure if she wants to get up or not, but judging by the color of the sky, she knows she probably should. “You were supposed to sleep. Not me.” 

Crocodile hums, flashing her a charming smile. “I’ve had enough sleep for today.” 

His sultry voice echoes across the room, threatening to spread goose bumps across her skin. She was certain he was flirting with her, the words rolling off of his silver tongue effortlessly. But that amatory expression quickly fades away, disintegrating just as it had appeared. He rubs at his stubbled jaw subconsciously, his scar disapprovingly twitching downward. 

“I’ll be back soon,” He said with a frown, scratching at the prickling hairs itching his cheeks. He hadn’t been this disheveled in months. It was rather embarrassing. 

He unravels himself from the sheets, lazily stepping into his shoes. Koda settles against her small pile of pillows, watching him fiddle around with his clothes, straightening any piece of fabric that looked out of place. He slides the door open, pausing before exiting the frame. He looks back toward Koda one last time, that same melancholy grin he was wearing earlier had reappeared again. She wasn’t sure she enjoyed this smile.

“I’ll be back soon.” He said again carefully, pointedly refusing to say the word goodbye.

Koda was intelligent; she would surely figure it out soon enough. Yet, those grey eyes were still looking at him fondly, completely oblivious to his troubled thoughts. Straw Hat Luffy was prepared to set sail early tomorrow morning. True to his word, Crocodile would too. Even with all the restlessness this week had caused, he was still reluctant to leave this place. 

To leave her. 

With one brief nod, he slid the door closed, the sound of his heavy footsteps receding down the hall soon after. Koda exhales, more than a little disappointed about being left alone again. Though the silence he provided in his absence did give her an idea, one that she hoped might aid them on this wild goose chase for Valentine; a man she had no recollection of whatsoever. 

She looks toward the sea, the subtle rocking of the ship aiding in her meditation. The sound of her mother’s voice comes to her first. She’s frightened; using what strength her lithe body could muster in order to protect her. 

 _“Run, Koda!”_  

 _Dammit_. She had seen this many times before. It never offered any sort of new answers; only pain and sorrow.  

The memory abruptly ended, leaving her seething with frustration. She delved back to the recesses of her mind; desperately trying to remember anything of significance, until a word suddenly appears before her. It’s faint and unclear, the letters appearing before her in murky waters. She slowly steps in to the ever-expanding sea of her mind, kicking up the sand between her toes. The letters begin to reform, rising to the surface along with the silt. 

 _Mujina_. 

Koda can feel herself shaking, that ominous and overbearing anxiety coiling around her insides. She can see her own reflection, a terrified child clawing at the sand beneath her to get away. Paralyzed. Trapped. 

Her own shadow starts to engulf her, strangling her into submission. A sharp, searing pain digs its way into her temple. Broken, garbled laughter rings in her ears; though what it belongs to...she has no idea. It didn’t seem to have a face at all. Her fingers reach out toward her own traumatized form-but it’s not nearly enough. The shadows have her too now. 

_Fire._

_Gunpowder._

_Blood._

“Koda, _dammit_ , listen to me-” 

Crocodile’s voice suddenly breaks through her waking nightmare, the disturbing images snapping out of focus. She grasps the hand furiously shaking her back to the present, nearly crushing the appendage between her fingers. The shaking immediately subsides, followed by his gentle voice; somewhat muffled beneath the sound of blood rushing to her ears. Whatever he happens to be saying still can’t reach her. She still hadn’t acknowledged he was there. 

“I have to...I have to...again. I have to see it again.” Koda mumbles, still partially incoherent. 

He tries to cradle her head in his palm, only to curse when it lolls backward uncontrollably. “See what? What did you _do_? You’re... _bleeding_.” 

It’s the desperation in his voice that finally brings her back. Her grip on his hand loosens, her fingers now reaching out to grab at his shirt. Crocodile sighs in relief when consciousness returns to her eyes, however confused and panicked they may be. 

“I just...I-I remembered something.” 

He exhales slowly, chest rising as he began to breathe in again. Carefully, he wedges his hook-less arm beneath her legs, his hand resting in the middle of her back. 

“Lean forward,” He says softly, gesturing to her nose. “Pinch the bridge.” 

 _Oh_. She hadn’t realized she’d been bleeding at all. 

Koda does as she’s been instructed, suddenly feeling very small in his arms. He guides them both to the compact washroom, nearly impossible for them both to fit inside without touching one another. Crocodile sets her down on the counter, tearing off a piece of bath tissue to wipe the drying blood from her philtrum. 

“Mujina...” She mutters, more to herself than him. She said the word a few more times, nothing familiar coming to mind. The more she tried to press for information, the more her head throbbed in pain. 

“What does that mean?” He replies, running the piece of tissue under the cold water for a few seconds. 

“I...I don’t know. But I know it’s important. I’ve never been able to remember that much before.” 

Crocodile continues to dab away at the blood until every smear had disappeared. Koda’s brow was still furrowed, mumbling unintelligible gibberish under her breath. He presses a kiss to the top of her head, disintegrating the bath tissue in his hand and discarding the remnants in the trash. Koda didn’t show any sort of acknowledgement at all. 

“There’s something else. A man I remember.” 

Crocodile grits his teeth. He hated to ask her to try and recall anything more, but any kind of description would be an excellent place to start. He didn’t have much to go on, besides what Rayleigh had figured out for himself. Which, wasn’t as much as he would have liked. Yet, whatever sorts of memories were trapped inside her mind, they weren’t worth the stress it placed on her body. This had Valentine and his crew’s name written all over it. 

“H-he didn’t have a face. I mean, I know he _does_ have a face, but it was all a blur. A-and his fruit...something with shadows. My shadow. I couldn’t move...couldn’t use my devil fruit powers. I know I can picture it if I just try aga-“ 

She was too wound up, the adrenaline pumping through her veins at a million miles an hour. He couldn’t begin to differentiate what was real and what wasn’t, but it didn’t matter. He didn’t care. 

Crocodile shakes his head, tipping her chin up to meet his eyes. “I don’t want you to ever do that again. Not until I figure this out.” 

Koda’s brow furrows again, lowering her head and looking away. She eases herself down from the countertop, sauntering back toward the bedroom like some sort of mindless creature. Crocodile follows behind her closely, not entirely sure if she was still with him or not. She hesitantly sits at the corner of the mattress, grabbing the collar of her shirt and stretching it over her mouth; something he noticed she did quite often when nervous or irritated. 

“Koda,” He reaches out to touch the fingers clutching her shirt, concern evident in his voice. “Listen to me-“ 

She bats his hand away, the collar slipping down her chin to its proper place. “This is important, you know. I wasn’t just making this up. It was real. It actually happened.” 

Crocodile settles himself behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and leaning her back against his chest. That rough and calloused hand was gently soothing over her wrist, lifting the swathe of skin to his lips for a chaste kiss. Koda relaxes a fraction, before eventually sighing in relief. That biting, defensive nature seemed to vanish, the rush of adrenaline finally calming to normal levels. She fell limply into his awaiting arms, sagging from exhaustion. 

 “I’ll look into everything,” He whispered in her ear, his chest tightening when she nods. “I’ll take care of it.” 

They sit this way for several minutes, neither of them willing to budge. This wasn’t his first choice on how to spend their last night together, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. Koda was here, at least. Safe. 

Crocodile leans forward, pressing his lips along the curve of her shoulder. She doesn’t make a sound, merely cocks her head to one side, offering more of her flesh for him to brush his lips against. He smiles into her skin, gently gliding along the smooth, sun-kissed pigment. 

A sharp pang of longing pierced through his gut. He nuzzles against her neck, his lips hovering just over her collarbone. There’s so many things he wants to say, wishes he could say, without ruining a single thing. He pushes them back down, however, swallowing the words again. Koda leans back ever more, the nape of her neck now resting along his shoulder. Her eyes open slowly, the deep grayish hue of her irises barely visible in the low light. But her expression was clear. 

Panic. 

“What is it? What’s wrong?” 

Koda’s eyes flick over to the window, her entire body quivering in fear. “Y-you don’t smell that...? The smoke?” 

Crocodile untangles himself from her trembling form, leaning closer to the circular windowpane. He angles her away from the window, peeking his head outside as he looked toward the shore. 

There was no mistaking it. 

Thick, black smoke was billowing from the island; the faint orange glow of fire flickering in the distance. As much as he tried to protect her, she could still feel his posture turn rigid. His hand was no longer holding her so gently. 

He could see it too. 

Crocodile rests her cheek in the palm of his hand, his thumb lightly tracing over her lips. “Stay right here. I’ll be righ-“ 

She clamps down on his wrist before he can finish. “Don’t. Don’t ever say that to me again.” 

He winces, gently prying her fingers away from his forearm. Tears were already beginning to form at the corners of her eyes as she softly chanted her apologies, begging for him to stay put. 

Crocodile looks toward the shoreline again. The smoke was culminating in a much thicker cloud, the blaze now reaching dangerous heights. He needed to make absolutely sure this wasn’t a threat of some kind...but also needed to remain right where he was. 

He wipes a tear away with the pad of his thumb, giving her a reassuring look. “Tell me, sweetheart. What would you like me to do?” 

Koda swallows, attempting to lean further toward the window and peer outside. Crocodile guides her attention back to him, however, using his index finger to tilt her chin forward. 

“W-we can go above deck and check it out,” She says shakily. “I’ll-“

Crocodile pushes down on her shoulder, his stern gaze never wavering. “You’ll be in this room, waiting for my signal.” 

He spoke with such finality that she didn’t dare try to argue. He placed a chaste kiss to the corner of her mouth; rising from his place on the bed and reluctantly letting his fingers slip from her grasp. He won’t say the words, but the look he gives her says it all. 

_‘I’ll be right back.’_

His body shifts as it begins to peel away, sand hissing and slithering along the cracks in the floorboards. If this was a real threat, the enemy could be on their way here right now. 

Or worse, they had already arrived. 

His sand carefully maneuvered about the cabin, separating into several thin strands so as to better scour the hold. Frustratingly, he could find nothing. Every room was still eerily vacant, save for Koda’s bedroom down below. 

Sand begins to culminate together, whipping and swirling about as his body became solid again. The blaze was clearly visible above the tree line now, the roar of the flames still faint from where he stood near the mast. It was too silent. Where was everyone? A quick look across the shore told him that no other ships had docked. Not even so much as a lifeboat. 

Not the Marines, then. They wouldn’t dare pass up the chance to show themselves and their over-glorified warships. 

Were they followed? Had Rayleigh been followed?

The stairs leading up toward the deck suddenly creak. Crocodile whips around, sand coating across his hook-less arm; the filaments forming themselves into a frighteningly sharp blade. He thrusts his arm forward without a second thought, the hardened silica halting just short of impaling the unexpected intruder’s chest. 

“ _Koda_ ,” He barks angrily, teeth grinding together in frustration. “I said stay put.”

The sand coating his arm immediately wisps away, settling back into their proper places. She hesitantly takes a step backward, cowering just short of the archway. 

He exhales, clearly a sigh in defeat, though he doesn’t apologize. His eyes soften just a touch, but never leave their view of the horizon. This was not the time to be the doting, affectionate lover. Whether it upset her or not, he would choose to protect her however he saw fit. 

“I couldn’t let you go alone.” She says meekly. 

He growls, not bothering to meet her eyes. “You can and you _will_. The only thing you should be concerned about is doing as I say.” 

His voice was cold. This was no longer the man of her childish fantasies. This was former shichibukai and dreaded pirate captain Sir Crocodile. 

Koda hated how seamlessly he could flip that switch, completely ignoring her as though she were a mere child, helpless without his sense of direction. But she wasn’t a child. She had been to hell and back before they had ever met, and was certainly capable of protecting herself. 

Her lip curls over her teeth, scowling as she prepared to release all of that pent up fury she had accumulated. She takes a deep breath, nostrils flaring as she inhales. Though before she can even utter a single word, the familiar, bubbling laughter of Straw Hat Luffy echoes across the shore. 

Heading straight for the fiery blaze. 

“ _Luffy_!” Koda cries out desperately. 

Crocodile snarls, disintegrating from the waist down as he descended from his place underneath the mast. As the sand reforms around him, he stretches back to his full height, glowering down at her. That god-forsaken condescending expression. As maddening as it was, she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment. 

Disappointed that she was now the target of his unforgiving rage. 

“ _Koda_ ,” He hissed. “Don’t even think about it. You keep your head down. I’ll grab Straw Hat.” 

His mask drops for a moment, a sudden gentleness passing over his features. His fingers reach out to caress her cheek, the action brief and painfully bittersweet. The anger quells inside her for an instant, only to begin anew when he slips through her fingers. She grits her teeth, yelling after him, “I’m not a child!” 

But he’s already gone, a sentient cloud of sand heading rapidly for the shore. 

______________

 

 _“I’m not a child!”_ Her voice reverberates in his ears. 

Crocodile growls, his feet hastily approaching the beaches of Amazon Lily. The moment his toes touch the shifting sands beneath him, he’s immediately off in a dead sprint. The damned brat couldn’t have gone far. 

This woman would surely be the death of him some day, and at this rate, it may even be today. Damn her. Damn this infuriating and obstinate girl. For as adamant as she was that she was no child, she certainly insisted on acting like one. Didn’t she realize how unbelievably reckless she had been? How mindlessly impulsive it was to follow him? He could have easily killed her on that ship. If he had lacked just an ounce of restraint, Koda would be gone now; a pile of dust perfectly formed at his feet. Crocodile seethed at the thought, picking up speed, as he was hot on Straw Hat’s trail.

He had every right to be angry...didn’t he? Koda had blatantly ignored his instructions, fully prepared to throw herself into the lion’s den. She had no idea whether it was safe or not. Even as afraid as she had been, she had pursued him anyway. 

Because she cared. For him. 

Crocodile shakes his head, fiercely attempting to banish these thoughts from his mind; desperately willing away the image of her terrified expression, face-to-face with certain death. A death that would have been caused by his own hand. That look of utter betrayal- 

No. He was angry, dammit. He was protecting her, just as he said he would. This was her own damned fault. Foolish. That’s what she was being. Foolish. He couldn’t fathom how she had survived this long, with an attitude like that. Ridiculous, the things such sentiments would do to weaken your resolve. He wouldn’t allow himself to be that way. Not here. Not now. 

Crocodile weaves in and out of the rapidly approaching limbs and branches through this narrow patch of forest. Luffy was just up ahead. He could hear the loud thrum of the boy’s haki, pulsing with each footstep that sunk deeper into the sand below. But Luffy was exceptionally quick, unfortunately. He didn’t have the time to chase this moron around. Though if he dared to return to the ship without Straw Hat in tow, he was sure to be on the tail end of Koda’s unbridled rage. 

Damn it all. Since when did he care what she thought of him or what he did? Protecting her. That was what mattered. Nothing else.  

Soft. 

Pathetic.  

Crocodile skids to a halt, his patience now worn far too thin. He would break every single bone in that ridiculous rubber body and drag him back to the ship if that’s what it takes. He hadn’t sensed any unknown enemies on his way through the area, which gave him some semblance of relief at least. 

He didn’t really have a choice. He needed to reveal his position before they went too far. 

“Straw Hat!” 

The hum of Luffy’s haki flares, his nerve endings all firing simultaneously. Crocodile could see the brat’s silhouette more clearly as he approached; the arch of Luffy’s feet appearing red as his sand surged forward to scan the area. The wood still appeared to be uninhabited, save for the both of them. 

“Croc-man!” Luffy cheered when Crocodile finally charged through the tree line. His signature, million-kilowatt smile was already stretching across his face, as though there wasn’t the biggest wildfire he had ever seen continued to rage on behind them. “You and Koda saw the bonfire, huh? Well, what do you think?” 

Luffy flashes him another charming smile, clearly quite pleased with himself. 

Crocodile’s eyes narrow, his voice low and predatory. “What the hell are you talking about?” 

His innocent laughter begins to erupt from his throat, filled with joyous effervescence.  “We’re throwing a party for our last night! Oh...did I forget to tell you guys?” 

Crocodile snarls, snatching Luffy by the collar of his vest and lifting him high into the air. The boy’s legs kick helplessly, chattering wildly as he thrashed about. Crocodile could hear none of it. His vision had gone red, completely blind from his uncontrollable indignation. 

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” He seethed, gripping him by the nape of the neck. “What you could have caused?” 

Luffy continues to flail tirelessly, his own temper beginning to rise. Crocodile, however, cared very little. He throws Straw Hat to the ground, the force knocking the air from his rubberized lungs. The boy was on his feet in an instant, wiping a smudge of dirt away from his mouth. If it was a fight he wanted, Luffy was more than happy to oblige. With a determined smirk, he begins to chuckle; eyeing his opponent with overflowing amusement. 

“You wanna fight me again, Croc?” 

Oh yes, he did. 

That infuriating grin. Crocodile wanted nothing more to knock the ever-loving snot out him. Koda had been frightened to the point of tears, reliving what had to have been an unthinkably traumatic experience. And here Straw Hat stood. Grinning. 

Luffy cracks his knuckles together, shifting his neck from side to side as he loosened up. With one last fiery smile, Luffy stretched his arm behind him, his fist clenched and ready. “Now, Gum-Gum-“

Crocodile growled, his flesh ready to wisp away at the first second of contact. This damned brat was going to learn a thing or two, and Koda wasn’t here to save him. “Desert-“ 

A harsh, sonic _boom_ exploded from behind them. The shockwaves shook the treetops violently, the winds slicing past with such velocity it caused a few breaks in their skin. In the blink of an eye, Koda had wedged herself in between the two of them, grasping their heavy fists in the palms of her hands. Her expression was solemn, though not without a fair amount of anger. 

“That’s enough!” She snaps, batting their hands away when she was sure their tantrum had subsided. Her eyes only soften upon turning toward Luffy, who was just as confused as he usually was. 

“I’m sorry, Luffy. This was my fault. I didn’t realize this was our last night on the island.” 

Though she seemed to be addressing Straw Hat, the glare she was sporting, however, was just for _him_ , punctuated with a severe tsk of her tongue. Luffy still didn’t quite understand, looking between Koda and Crocodile as though he were still trying to decide whose side he was on. But he settles on Koda eventually, empathetically reaching his arm out to place a hand on her shoulder. 

“Well, let’s go then! Hancock is making us tons of food! And there’ll be drinks, and Jinbei promised to show me some-“ Luffy continues on excitedly. 

Koda hated to ruin his mood, especially when this night was going to be the last one they spent here. Although they had only arrived a week ago, so much had happened in that short amount of time; but as she looked up toward the blaze she had been pointedly trying to ignore, she hesitantly takes a step backwards. 

“Not this time, Luffy. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

Koda trudged along the shore, unsure of where it was she truly wanted to go, as long as it was far away from there. Luffy watches her go warily, looking up to Crocodile expectantly as though he could salvage the situation. The man only grumbles in response. A pronounced frown suddenly takes over Luffy’s features, the expression looking positively alien on him. 

“What did I do?” He asks quietly. 

Crocodile exhales, turning on his heel in the opposite direction. He looks toward the bonfire; the pleasant aroma of food roasting over the open flames beginning to fill the air. 

“Come along, Straw Hat Luffy,” He calls from over his shoulder. “We still have much to discuss.” 

______________

Koda watches her shadow flicker and deform, the black silhouette threatening to disappear at any moment. She could still feel the faint heat of the fire licking uncomfortably up her back. As anxiety slowly constricted its way up her spine, the riotous laughter and drunken singing melded into shouts of terror and agony in her ears, no matter what she tried to do to ignore it. The fabric of her shirt suddenly felt scalding, making her shift uncomfortably from her hidden spot in the sand. She reaches behind her back, tentatively prodding at the cloth as though it would burn her skin. 

It was just as cool as the night air.

She frowns, cursing under her breath. 

A frog croaks next to her foot, cocking its head to the side as though it were pondering her predicament also. 

“I highly doubt you’d like to listen to me talk about my problems.” She says with a soft smile, nudging the small amphibian forward. It hops a few paces before disappearing into the water. 

The familiar sound of tankards clinking together draws Koda’s attention back toward the bonfire, followed by the loud squeals of a few unrecognizable Amazonian women. She quickly looks away, not able to watch the fiery blaze for more than a few seconds. 

She wished Crocodile was there, even as angry as she happened to be with him currently. He seemed to know exactly what to do to help her, even without saying a word at all. Though the minute the thought crosses her mind, she chides herself for it. His eyes had been so cold earlier, his gaze completely passing through her as though she didn’t exist. 

Was this really what their relationship would be like? 

She wanted those pale eyes to watch her softly as they did before, his calloused hand idly wandering across her skin. Koda knew him to be gentle; those brief moments they had spent alone, sharing quiet kisses and whispered words. She knew he was being genuine. She had never seen him wear that compassionate expression for anyone else but her, and was fairly certain he had never confessed his affections to anyone else, as sweetly as he had in her presence.

“You remember this conversation, Straw Hat,” Koda’s head raises, following the voice rapidly approaching her position. The tall grass barricading the land from the shore rustles, threatening to part with each subtle quiver. “-Or our next disagreement will end very differently.” 

She could hear Luffy’s innocent laughter bubbling forth, completely content despite the veiled threat _._ The boy hollers after Crocodile as he goes, still as polite as ever. The susurrus of the reeds sprouted across the beach begins again, crunching underneath heavy footsteps. Koda noticed with a hint of enjoyment, there was a slight grin playing at the corners of his lips. When his gaze settles on her, however, a pseudo-like frown takes over her features. She turns her head quickly, pretending to be intensely focused on the ocean. 

“You don’t have to follow me everywhere, you know.” Koda mumbles, then immediately regrets it. He seemed to be in a good mood. She hated to ruin it. Though much to her surprise, he merely chuckles; shrugging his coat from his shoulders and draping it over his arm. 

“Is that right? But I quite enjoy the chase, little vixen.” 

A furious blush begins to bloom beneath her cheeks, the tips of her ears now completely red. There was that honeyed voice she had missed so much. She daringly turns at the waist, her breath suddenly catching in her throat. Those pale eyes were staring at her intently; that condescending leer from earlier was gone. The expression he wore currently was undeniably genuine. Koda’s stomach flips; an uncomfortable and nauseous feeling.

So be it. She would allow him to speak. If nothing else, just to silence this incessant ache that insisted on constricting her insides. 

Koda hums, though her countenance never wavered in the slightest. She turns back to the sea, indicatively ignoring the way he continues to saunter over. He stops just shy of where she was sitting, his gaze nervously casted down to her legs, crossed at the ankles. His posture remains rigid as he stands, not bothering to sit down next to her. 

“I have something for you,” He swallows. “I can’t claim these were a gift of my own, but I still hope you’ll accept it...as a...reminder of sorts.” 

He runs a shaky hand through his hair, his heart rate increasing erratically. The seconds ticked on for what seemed like hours, as Crocodile compulsively fidgeted with the fur lining of his coat. 

“A gift? For me?” She asks, her face adorably contorted in an astonished look. Crocodile files the expression away, making a mental note to buy her things more often. The girl looked as though she had never received a present before. Now that he thought about it, she probably hadn’t-not in several years anyway. 

Crocodile removes the leather-bound packaging from underneath his arm, the ties already pulled loose. “They’re from your father. I’m not certain how-“ His brows furrowed as he continues to ponder the thought. “-but it seems he knew we would be in need of something like this. There are instructions inside.” 

A gift. From her father. 

Just days ago, such a notion would have sent her running for the hills. Yet, she accepts the package gratefully-though not without a scrutinizing once over. But his gentle smile was enough for her to relent, knowing he would never willingly put her in harms way. 

Koda slowly opens the lip of the envelope, startled when a leather band promptly plops into her lap. The bracelet appeared to be a log pose, but upon further examination, the glass orb on the top was not covering a compass-but rather, the thin paper of a vivre card. She inspects it for a moment, before reaching back into the envelope for the sheet of instructions. She unfolds the small scrap of paper with great care, sucking in a breath as she begins to read her father’s words. 

__ ‘ _The Sempiternal Vivre’_

_Koda, I certainly hope this letter finds you some day. While I’m sure I’m the last person you wish to see, I wanted to tell you how sorry I am regardless. This doesn’t begin to change the past-nothing ever will. But know this, my daughter, that this was in no way your fault, and due to my own shortcomings. With that being said, please understand that I continue to do everything in my power to fix this, as will this man who cares so much for you._

_As I’m sure you are aware, a simple vivre card is created using the fingernails of the person in question. A sempiternal vivre is slightly different, and is meant to survive for an eternity. The paper is cultivated from a lock of hair, rather than the nail. If anything should happen to you, your card will react as normal-yet, just as your hair continues to grow healthily, the card will also reform as you recover. The glass covering will also react to heat, sending a flash of light to its pair as you touch it. It’s quite handy for sending urgent messages in the time of an emergency._

_Lastly,_ _I again want to express my deepest apologies. Not just for that fateful night, but for every day since then as well. This is not the life your mother and I wished you to endure, though she would be proud to know that you have. With each passing day you look so much like your mother, so warm and beautiful. And just as she did, your tenacity and intelligence has continued to push you forward. Do not despair. Do not give up. One day, I hope to meet the both of you again, on much better terms._

_Stay strong, little troublemaker._

_Rayleigh_

Koda folded the paper again, carefully tucking it away in her pants pocket so as not to ruin it. Tears had begun to stream down her cheeks, steadily dripping from face. She wouldn’t allow a single drop to smear the wonderfully scripted letter. A letter detailing everything she had always wanted to hear. She felt an odd sense of freedom, as though the chains that had bound her to this unending misery had finally shattered. This was her father. He had never left her. 

“Thank you,” Koda says softly, wiping her eyes frantically. “I never would have read it, if you hadn’t told me what happened.” 

Crocodile exhales, a deep and relieved sigh he hadn’t realized he had been holding in. He unravels the coat from his arms, swaddling the warm clothing over her shoulders. She didn’t need to extend her gratitude for something so minuscule; this is what she deserved. This is what she so desperately needed to hear, and had been for years now. He would gladly do it again.

As her tears start to subside, she clutches the sleeves of his coat, wrapping her arms around her knees. In the smallest voice he had ever heard, she quietly murmurs, “Do...do you think we could go somewhere...private?” 

It takes him a few seconds to register what it is she’s just said. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes cast downward as she fiddled with the sand next to her. 

Was she...did she just-

The realization dawns on him suddenly, his eyebrows steadily rising in surprise. After a few awkward moments, he clears his throat to get her attention, bending at the waist so as to offer her his hand. 

“Of course, sweetheart.” 

______________

Crocodile watches the subtle sashay of her hips, the way her gait quickens upon seeing the Kuja Pirates’ ship rocking in the harbor. The moment he had offered her his hand, she had immediately taken it; her petite fingers hardly able to reach themselves past his knuckles. The sight had sent a wave of covetous desire pumping through his veins. He knew right then and there, this was the point of no return. He didn’t have the slightest urge to look back. 

Though what he was finding incredibly difficult, was being patient. He wanted nothing more than to lift her into his arms and rush her back to the ship. The second they reached the entryway to the harbor, her pace had slowed significantly. Her steps stuttered amongst the thick sand, trudging along lazily as though she wasn’t quite sure of herself anymore. He gives her hand a gentle squeeze, however, grinning when she tugs him along like before. He makes an appreciative noise, his hand slipping out of her grasp as sand hisses from his fingers. The appendage reforms in an instant, grabbing her by the waist. Koda yelps in surprise, the unexpected touch sending a whir of butterflies fluttering in her stomach. 

He pushes her back against his chest, his lips finding the nape of her neck as he urged them forward, the bottom of her feet now resting atop his shoes. 

‘Patience.’ Crocodile told himself. He wouldn’t allow this to end so quickly. 

And yet, he still can’t seem to help himself. With a playful growl, he buries his lips against the side of her neck, lifting her legs into his arms in one fluid motion. She shudders against him, a tentative hand resting against his chest. He guides them up the ship’s ramp, pausing momentarily to kiss her against the railing. She whimpers into his mouth, the sound nearly lost amidst the ruffle of clothing. 

Koda wraps her legs around his torso in the blink of an eye, melding their bodies together in a tantalizing embrace. He breaks their kiss abruptly, resting his forehead against hers. Her eyelids were heavy- soft grey eyes clouded by a culmination of several emotions. So vulnerable. So innocent. 

“Can I take you to bed?” He asks quietly. 

Koda nods without hesitation, leaning forward to capture his lips again. His hand snakes underneath her shirt, lightly brushing against the bandages that still crisscrossed their way around her ribcage-until they began moving again. Crocodile rested his hook-less arm beneath her backside, using his hand to feel around for the railing. She certainly seemed intent on keeping his mouth occupied, which didn’t bother him in the slightest. He could do this all night. 

Crocodile sucks her lower lip into his mouth, positively delighted at the sound she makes in kind. Her eyes were closed, lips parted in pure bliss. It gives him the chance to slide the shoji door open, crossing the threshold and slamming the door shut behind him with a quick whip of his sand. 

“Can I set you down, sweetheart?” His sultry voice cascades down her spine. 

Koda doesn’t answer. Her legs remained tightly wound around his waist, hands clinging to his shoulders. Her face was scrunched in intense concentration, the gears inside her head rapidly spinning out of control. Her eyes suddenly flutter open, her feet carefully unhooking themselves at the ankles. A question begins to form around his lips, his hand lifting to caress her cheek. Her skin was so unbelievably soft, much like the rest of her gentle nature. 

The action seemed to snap her out of her reverie. Koda backs him against the wall, the various knickknacks sitting on the bookshelf rattling angrily. Her fingers blurred together as she quickly fiddled with his clothes, pulling at the shirt neatly tucked in to his pants. Crocodile makes a surprised grunt, now muffled behind her bruising kiss. 

This was certainly new. He had never imagined she would be so dominant, not as shy as she happened to be outside of the bedroom. Though just as he thinks so, Koda shoves him again, his head roughly falling backward against the hardwood paneling. Her fingers voraciously pull at his belt, opening the large buckle in an instant. She breaks their kiss, sighing erotically against the hollow of his throat, before gradually moving lower. 

Lower. 

_Lower._

“ _Koda_.” He grits through his teeth, finding it rather difficult to stop her wandering mouth. 

She lifts the hem of his shirt, kissing across the dips and ridges of his abdomen, before mouthing along the sparse trail of hair leading below his hips. Koda peers up at him, her eyes heavy with want. Crocodile attempts to shuffle away, pull on her hair, anything to get her to slow down; yet, she grips his thighs in both of her hands, shoving him back into the wall. 

“Don’t you want me to suck your cock? I could make you feel _so good_. I just want to see how big you are. You’re so _fucking_ big, aren’t you?” She palms the outline of his erection to test her theory, her voice dripping with the most over exaggerated attempt at sensuality he’d ever heard. Though he still had to admit, the thought did make his mouth water. 

Koda seems to realize her attempts to wind him up were falling embarrassingly flat. He gently stills her hands, watching as she shifts uncomfortably on her knees. She averts her eyes, that heated gaze losing much of its initial fire. 

“What’s the rush, sweetheart?” Crocodile coos, his hand combing through her hair. “It would be a sin not to savor something so exquisite.” 

Without giving her the chance to respond, he lifts her into his arms effortlessly, ravishing her neck with continuous open-mouthed kisses. The frown still remained present on her features, brows furrowed in deep thought; pondering what she could have done wrong. He hums against her throat, nipping at the thin skin. Her face remains passive. Acquiescent, but without any of her usual innocent charm. 

Crocodile licks a swathe of sensitive flesh just below her earlobe, his honeyed voice purring softly. "As alluring as that girl was, she wasn't my Koda, now was she? I want no acts tonight, darling. All I ask is for every noise you make, every smile on your face to be honest and true. Can you promise me this?" 

Koda relaxes in his arms; her limbs nothing but liquefied jelly at the moment. Her heart was racing, each stuttering breath puffing warm air across his shoulder. 

 _His_ Koda. She had never imagined him to be so possessive, though it didn’t bother her whatsoever. She was more than satisfied to be called his, knowing that she felt just as strongly. He was hers. No one else would ever lay a finger on him. 

She nods slowly, though she still can’t bring herself to meet his eyes. 

No matter. This was the Koda he wanted, regardless. 

Crocodile’s lips press one last kiss against the top of her head, ambling over to the near side of the bed with two long strides. He sets her down carefully, his eyes raking over her form with salacious appreciation. His tongue darts past his mouth, wetting his lips suggestively. 

There was that shy expression. That blush he was utterly obsessed with. It was obvious she felt vulnerable under his scrutinizing stare, the way her eyes shifted about anxiously. 

“What is it?” She asks nervously, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her vest. The fabric was hand woven, leaving several loose strings annoyingly tickling her skin. “What are you staring at?” 

He removes the shirt loosely hanging over his shoulders, the buttons already graciously undone. He smirks when her pupils gradually dilate as he makes a show of removing the clothing. “Just you, sweetheart. You’re so beautiful laid out for me like this.” 

Crocodile tosses his shirt behind him, not bothering to look where it fell. With deliberate slowness, he pulls his belt from its loops, rolling the leather band around his fingers and setting it next to his shoes, which he had simultaneously toed off. 

Koda was absolutely mesmerized. With each sedated movement of his hand, her eyes followed it diligently. She props herself up along the headboard, crossing her legs at the ankles. That subtle burn had already begun to flare about her insides, each of his teasing little notions progressively stoking the flames. 

With a quick flick of his wrist, he pulls down the zipper to his slacks, letting them fall past his hips into a heap on the floor. Koda nervously flicks her eyes between his darkly colored briefs and his own licentious glare. She’s unsure if she’s allowed to touch, and just as unsure if she should ask permission. 

Crocodile understands almost immediately, making an amused noise. “Come here. Let’s get you undressed first.” 

When Koda doesn’t move toward him right away, he flirtatiously grips both of her ankles in one hand, pulling her forward with a pleased grin. She breaks into a fit of giggles; her bright, glowing smile spread a cozying warmth throughout his fingers and toes. He kisses up the inside of her thigh, reveling in the sweet sound of her laughter. 

“Now there’s that smile I’ve thought so much about,” He punctuated the sentiment with a wet kiss to the inside of her knee. “You have no idea what it does to me.” 

The tips of her ears begin burning furiously, her smile slowly fading away as she blushed. He huffs, giving her a soft, sympathetic look. 

 _‘So adorably bashful’_ , he thought.

But he would be sure to pull her apart bit by bit tonight, making her cry out for him with each deliberate touch. He idly wonders if any other man has bothered to put in the effort, or if they had simply accepted the sham that was her pathetic show of dominance. Crocodile was sure he wasn’t the first she had tried to pull that stunt on, and as much as he certainly hoped not, there was a hint of selfishness inside him that wished for this to be the first sexual encounter that she didn’t have to fake her way through. 

He carefully clambers onto the mattress above her, momentarily surprised when she reaches up to thread her fingers through his hair. Her thumbs gently glide across the raised skin of his scar, her dark eyes following the trail of her fingers to the ends of the old wound. The soft touch sends him into a frenzy, bending down to kiss any patch of skin his lips could reach.

His fingers begin to pull at the thin clothing of her vest, silently asking for permission. She nods, lifting herself off the mattress to help remove the fabric concealing her torso.

“Gorgeous,” He breathes, rocking back on his heels so as to get a better view from above. “Absolutely perfect, you are.” 

She shifts uneasily, still unable to accept his compliments without looking away; flushing furiously as though she were some innocent maiden, patiently awaiting her precious virginity to be stolen. But she was no virgin. She had had sex before-although none of her past experiences had compared to this one. Even now, before they had even began. 

Koda pulls him down for another languid kiss. She couldn’t stand to subject herself to another minute of his insufferable expression. He makes a satisfied noise, running his fingers down each rib along her right side. She squirmed slightly, clearly quite sensitive around the area. He smiles against her mouth, chuckling when her fingers tug playfully at his hair. 

His own fingers continue downward, pausing every so often to trace imaginary circles across her flesh. Each pleasurable sigh that escaped her lips encouraged him to continue, until his hand had traveled far enough to rest beneath her ass. 

He gives it a generous squeeze.  

Koda immediately stills, rewarding him with an unexpected moan. The sweet sound passes between their lips, as they shifted and clicked together. 

Crocodile huffs, adjusting his position onto his forearm and gradually settling more of his body weight on top of her. His cock stood proudly against his stomach, tucked away against the waistband of his briefs. As their bodies slowly melded together, he cleverly rubs against her clit, her hips involuntarily bucking upward to meet his. It sends an intense throb between her legs, leading Koda’s hands to scramble for something to hold on to. Her fingernails desperately rake down his back as they rhythmically rocked against one another, each thrust pushing her further away from any conscious thought. He hissed in pure ecstasy, suddenly breaking their kiss to delve back into the crook of her neck. 

“May I?” He mutters against her skin, his fingers dancing along the loosely fastened hooks of her bra. The piece of clothing was so ill fitted at the moment, he could easily lift it over her head. The bandages had most likely been irritating her, making the garment sit uncomfortably against her ribs. Koda nods, arching her back to assist him. A sigh of relief immediately falls from her lips as he quickly unfastens the hooks; obviously the piece of cloth had been constricting her for some time now. 

The moment her bra slips past her shoulders, Koda’s mouth is on him again, each kiss more hungry than the last. He growls, his tongue flicking against the roof of her mouth. Her arms hook around his neck, squeezing tighter with each attempt he made to peer down at her naked breasts. 

“ _Sweetheart_ ,” He whispers sweetly, a sudden bolt of pleasure striking deep in his chest at the sight of her shuddering underneath him. “Let me take a look at you.” 

She reluctantly falls back against the mattress, arms slowly unwinding themselves from around his neck. Her cheeks were flushed a bright crimson, though whether it was from embarrassment or feverish lust, Crocodile wasn’t certain. He knew fully well Koda was one to become uncomfortable under his piercing gaze, but goddamn; he just couldn’t help himself. She was breathtaking, in every sense of the word. 

Pale lines encircled themselves around her shoulders and chest, unevenly colored amongst her other features, which had spent far more time in the sun. Her breasts were absolutely perfect; the creamy, white skin completely untouched by any sort of imperfection, save one: a hook-shaped scar imbedded in the flesh between each breast. The old injury was so small he hardly noticed it, and yet, it added to her charm all the same. His heart thuds against his chest, threatening to stop altogether when she hesitantly blinks up at him. Crocodile opens his mouth, feeling he should at least attempt to calm her nerves. But at the moment, he can’t think of a damned thing to say. 

“Are they...okay? I never know what to think when you stare at me like that.” Though, she managed to punctuate the sentence with a small smile.

Crocodile bends down, trailing a series of chaste kisses down her throat, so unbelievably sweet she nearly chokes up. “Am I that unreadable, darling? Though, I don’t mind telling you just how stunning you are.” 

Koda rolls her eyes, the act entirely innocent and without a hint of spite. It had been years since someone had shown her any sort of attention like this, and even then it was often unwarranted. Not this time, however. Whatever he happened to offer her, she wanted it without any hesitation. 

Crocodile hums, ravishing her neck once more. Her bubbling laughter begins anew, his fingers mischievously prodding at her uninjured side. She wriggles under his grasp, legs kicking uncontrollably beneath him.

‘She’s ticklish.’ Crocodile thought with a devilish grin. He would need to investigate that thoroughly one day. Just as the thought appears, that amused smirk immediately drains from his face. One day. When would that be? When would he see her again? 

Koda notices his mood shift subtly, her eyes anxiously gazing up at him as the back of his hand glides across her cheek. She gladly leans in to the touch. 

“I’m going to miss you, sweetheart.” He says, hardly above a whisper. 

She freezes. That wasn’t what she had expected to hear. She turns her head to the side again, tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. Crocodile tuts, clicking his tongue against the back of his teeth. What a pitiful look.

“Oh, now what are these for, hm? Don’t fret over nothing. We’ll meet again, darling.” His head droops forward, pressing kiss after kiss down her neck, continuing down to her chest. His tongue gingerly laps at the scar along the ridge between her breasts, sighing when a sob lodged itself in her throat. 

“Naive girl,” He breathes against her pale skin. “I have no intention of letting you go.” 

He gives her a gentle smile, closely followed by a reassuring nod. She needed to understand just how far he was willing to go to keep them together, even if it meant they needed to be apart temporarily. Koda blinks back her tears, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She was determined to make him remember this night for many more nights to come. If they were going their separate ways tomorrow, she-at the very least-wanted to impart him with a lasting memory to hang on to.

Sensing she was ready to recommence, Crocodile lazily started to kiss along one of her breasts, his fingers thumbing over the nipple opposite his mouth. Koda’s legs go rigid, toes pointed forward as she bites her lip. His touch showed experience in this sort of venture, whereas her own hands shook piteously at her sides. His tongue hesitantly flicks across her breast, rolling the other nipple between his thumb and index finger simultaneously. 

“ _A-ah!”_ Koda gasps, her teeth releasing her bottom lip. Crocodile peers up at her with dark eyes, his pupils now blown wide. This is what he had been craving. A lovely little marionette attuned for his pleasure, singing and dancing with each little pluck of her strings. 

Crocodile takes the entire nipple into his mouth now, alternating between licking and sucking against the sensitive little bud. Koda’s hands find their will to move again; burying themselves in his thick hair as she pants heavily. After several moments of incessant teasing, he removes the nipple from his mouth, watching as her breast quivers back in place. He kisses across her sternum, giving the scar between her breasts a bit more attention. He inspects it briefly, fascinated at the small, barb-like scar tissue blooming along her flesh. He made a mental note to ask her about it one day. 

One day. 

He shakes his head, focusing again at the task at hand. He mouths along the goose bumps rising to the surface, now taking the nipple he’d been teasing between calloused fingers into his mouth. She does her best to choke out his name, sending him growling as the sound dies in her throat. 

“Go on then, tell me how it is.” He grunts, the nipple falling from his lips with an obscene pop. 

She mewls underneath him, her hands sliding down his shoulders to grip his biceps; nothing but strong, hardened muscle. Something about her gentle touch sends a wave of carnal desire pulsing between his legs, his cock twitching impatiently. 

‘Patience.’ He told himself again. He wanted to see the look on her face when she came _first_. 

Crocodile resumes his pattern of placing open-mouthed kisses down her body, the occasional flick of his tongue sending a shudder down her spine. He nips at the bone jutting from the thin flesh at her hips on either side, his eyes clouded in a near delirious haze. Koda arches her back, her lower lip pinned between her teeth as she desperately sought much needed friction. 

“Don’t hold it in,” He says with a wicked smile, sweetly brushing back the damp strands of hair matted against her forehead. There was a definite blush rising along the jagged edges of his scar, an exhilarating sight that Koda was sure to remember. “I want to know what you sound like when I make you cum.” 

As if to reinforce this desire, he kisses along the damp fabric of her underwear, applying the tiniest bit of pressure where he knows her clit to be. She curses, writhing desperately against his tongue- though he doesn’t move an inch. 

It wasn’t enough. There was still too much in between them-the sensation was practically cruel. While the taste of her was deliciously sweet against her panties, the insatiable hunger, the need to be buried in her cunt was becoming overwhelming.

But, ever the gentleman, he would ask her permission first. 

“Would you permit me the honor,” His fingers dip past the waistband, pinning the fabric between his fingers and rubbing it against her clit. “Sweetheart?” 

“ _Please_ ,” Her small voice pleaded, fists clenching the sheets beneath her. “Please, I-I need-” The plea vanishes in her throat, cutting off with a sharp intake of breath. 

Such sweet music to his ears. She could hardly piece together a coherent sentence. And such a beautiful sight it was, seeing her face contort in an attempt to speak, only to be cut off by another wave of pleasure. 

The grin stretched across his features suddenly turns downright diabolical.

He lifts her legs to his shoulders, all but tearing her underwear past her hips. He lowers her back down by the ankles, the thin piece of cloth settling around her shins when she enthusiastically kicks them away. The innocent look she gives him makes his chest tighten; he had never felt so possessive of anything as much as he did now, watching her spread her thighs for him ever so slightly. 

How could he ever keep such a beautiful thing waiting?

Crocodile kisses along her inner thigh, nipping and sucking as he went, proudly claiming the pale flesh as his own. He flattens his tongue as he reaches her folds, giving her cunt one broad lick. Koda gasps, a breathy moan dreamily floating past her lips. Her fingers have woven their way back into his hair, one of those silver eyes daring to peek down at the erotic scene unfolding before her. He hums in approval when he catches her, a shockwave of pleasure vibrating along the bundle of nerves he happened to be giving attention to. 

Koda’s high-pitched whine sets him into a feverish fit of desire. He spreads her thighs even wider, giving her clit an affectionate lick. She chokes on the sound of her moan, her hands scrambling to clasp at the nape of his neck. 

His eyes were impossibly dark, that sinful gaze burning across her flesh. Koda feels a single finger tracing around her folds; the digit suddenly dipping inside her core, beckoning her forward in a slow, rhythmic motion. Her mouth goes slack, gaping for air as his tongue continued to mercilessly flick over her clit. Each little whine only served to spur him on more, wondering just how many different sounds he could pull from her as he worshipped her sex. 

Koda’s face was scrunched in what could only be described as a pleasurable grimace. Crocodile closes his mouth over her swollen bud, unleashing a particularly hard suck; humming when her legs quiver beneath him. 

“ _Ah! Ha-Croc-!”_ She moaned appreciatively, begging him to repeat the action. _“I’m- fuck!-please, so close.”_

Her wish was his command. 

He relentlessly sucks at her clit, her walls clenching around the finger sweetly coaxing her to climax. It’s a sudden flick of his tongue that finally sends her careening over the edge, the tightened knot in her stomach unraveling into a helpless puddle of yarn. 

Her hips unconsciously lift towards his mouth, chest heaving with each pulsating wave of pleasure that washes over her. Crocodile gently massages the pad of his finger over her folds, a surprisingly gentle touch for having just ravished her. 

“That’s it,” He sighs, trailing a series of kisses along her inner thigh as she sputtered to connect an intelligible thought. “I’ve got you, Koda.” 

She shudders at the sound of his voice whispering her name across her skin, that honeyed tone sending another pleasant jolt between her legs. 

She was truly a magnificent sight. Her eyes were heavy lidded, completely sated in a post-orgasmic haze. The skin between her breasts and above her collarbone was flushed bright pink, matching the adorable rosiness of her cheeks. Though what he found to be the most endearing was the faint essence of a smile, curling at the corners of her lips. 

He hums proudly, each chaste kiss across her thighs sealed with a subtle flick of his tongue. Appreciative sighs airily drift from her throat as her mouth opens slightly, her breathing finally beginning to settle into its normal rhythm. 

Steady inhale, shuddering exhale. 

Her fingers idly smooth back his disheveled hair as he gently mouths around her entrance. Each time he ventured too close to her over stimulated clit, she held her breath anxiously, only to release it as he moved away again. 

Crocodile suddenly gets a delightedly wicked idea. His fingers innocently brush against her slit, practically salivating at the sight of her whimpering in response. 

“ _So sensitive_ ,” He coos, his lips lazily dragging over her flesh; closer and closer to where he had began.  “Would you like me to stop?” 

Koda opens her eyes a fraction, just enough to see a brief sliver of grey. 

Now he’s got her attention. 

With a pleased smirk, he pretends to pull away, only to be firmly held in place. Her long fingers have curled themselves into his hair, silently begging him to continue. 

“So you _do_ have a preference,” He said sinfully. “Why don’t you tell me what it is?” 

She swallows, hoping to settle the dry patch tickling the back of her throat. With a deep, steadying breath she peers back at him- a fierce, heady glare. 

“ _Fuck me_.” Koda croons, followed by a hesitant ‘ _please_ ’ when he raises a skeptical brow. The noise he makes, however- a low, heated grunt- tells her she’s said something right, though his mouth never strays from its intended course.

She could practically feel that fiery smolder of his. Her cheeks flush a harsh shade of pink, turning her head to one side so as to hide what she could. 

Such a stubborn girl. 

“And is that what you want? Or what you think I want?” 

Koda’s lips press into a thin line, growing just as frustrated as she was impatient. No one had ever made her ask twice for something like this. Hell, it hardly ever became a discussion. But behind that hardened exterior was someone who cared for her deeply; despite what ravenous desires he happened to be craving at the moment. 

“ _Please_ -“ She starts, past the point of maintaining any sort of semblance of that coy attitude. Her hips shifted, willing his lips to move again. “I want you to...I need you...in-inside me... _wanttofeelyou_.”

The end comes out in a rush, feeling his judgment under that calculating gaze. But his hardened glare softens at the edges, peppering a line of kisses up her body. It was an erratic sequence of pecks that showed no sort of rhyme or reason at all. He was kissing her because he felt like it. They showed no signs of that meticulous press of lips and tongue he had displayed on her cunt. This was Sir Crocodile, showing his affections without any ulterior motives at all-simply because he felt compelled to do so, utterly enchanted by this girl writhing beneath him.

She asked him to fuck her. The words were positively innocent, without the slightest hint of obscenity. That dangerously seductive falsetto had disappeared. This was Koda, _his_ Koda, begging for him to fuck her. There would never come a time when he could say no to such things. Not when she was patiently awaiting his answer, those hesitant grey eyes clouded by the oncoming storm. 

Her fingers had begun to intoxicatingly slide over his shoulders, tracing over bold lines of taut muscle lying dormant beneath his tough exterior. Tentatively, she strokes her fingers down his sides, smoothing over any scars her thumbs happened to find. She glances up at him with each careful touch, undoubtedly sensing the sinewy fibers tense beneath the pads of her fingers. 

“Will you...I-I mean-can I take these off now?” She gestures to his briefs, the palm of her hand hovering just above the large bulge pressing against the fabric. As ridiculously expensive and unfathomably soft as they happened to be, his cock had been chafing painfully against them for several minutes now. 

He couldn’t take it any longer. What little self-control he had was in a losing battle underneath the carnal instincts imploring to take over. He was not a patient man to begin with, and what little patience he had left was just about to run out. 

Koda swallows, watching the way he slowly sits back on his heels. She had almost forgotten how freakishly tall he was, his body looming over hers like a shadow. His index finger brushes across her folds, just barely dipping inside, to coat the digit in her wet, slick essence. Her head lolls, eyes rolling back as her walls unconsciously tighten around his finger. 

Then he adds a second. 

The whimpers he receives as he stretches her open only stirs him up more, scissoring his fingers in a steady rhythm. He wanted to fuck her hard enough to break. A fragile piece of porcelain, cracking at the seams with each snap of his hips. 

“ _Crocodile_ ,” She moans, deliriously reaching for the waistband of his briefs. “ _Crocodile- hah-please...Sir_ -“ 

He growls, the sound erupting from deep within his chest. His thumb flicks over her clit, both of his fingers impaling her further. He expects her to beg for mercy, asking oh so sweetly to be bent over and filled. But she merely lets out a breathy giggle, spreading her legs wider. 

“ _Oh_...is that what you like? _Sir?_ ” Her voice had taken on that similar cadence from earlier, though without the ridiculous vulgarities. It was rather frustratingly charming. 

She slides his underwear past his hips, teasing him as she rolled the waistband down ever so slowly. The moment his cock hits the cold air, it twitches in anticipation. 

Koda swallows again. Her assessment had been right on the mark. He was fucking huge. 

He chuckles at her wide-eyed stare, his fingers pressing deeper. “ _Oh, is that what you like, Sir_?” He mimics her voice, exhaling amusedly when she has nothing to retort. “Where did all that fire go?” 

He retracts his fingers for a moment, reveling in the slippery sound it makes. She whines at the sudden loss, now realizing just how raw she felt. But he quickly shushes her, tutting in mock disapproval. He pauses his ministrations to touch himself for a few moments, easing the slightest bit of tension. Koda watches him unabashedly, following each long, stroke of his hand. She reaches for him before she’s consciously aware of what she’s doing, only to have her hand guided back to her side. 

“Not this time, little vixen. Have I kept you waiting too long?” He breathes huskily, reluctantly pulling his fingers away from his cock to return to the task at hand. This time, adding a third finger. “Don’t think you can get smug with me.” 

Koda sucks in a breath, gasping for air like a fish out of water. Full. So impossibly full. These are his... _fingers_? She couldn’t imagine how much she would have to stretch for his cock, let alone his damn fingers. 

“Relax, Koda,” He soothes, blowing a bit of cool air over her flushed skin. “You have to relax.” 

She shudders underneath him, spreading her legs wider in hopes that would ease the way for his thick fingers. She sputters suddenly, gripping his arms as he crooked the digits farther. In her attempt to ease that uncomfortable stretch, she had inadvertently guided him to the spot he’d been searching for. He lightly massages the area to be sure, grinning maniacally when she writhes into the mattress. 

“That’s it, sweetheart. You look so damned beautiful stretched out for me like this.” 

Koda pins her lip between her teeth, shivering with each unabated prod at that sensitive pocket of nerves. The subtle burn from being stretched was beginning to ebb away, the muscles in her core pulled taut in suspense. Her toes curled, his soothing voice fading into a pleasant white noise. 

“P-please- _hah!_ \- I’m ready...I’m ready...just- _fuuuuck_ -” She whined as fingers mercilessly pump in and out, holding his arms as if her very life depended on it. 

And then...it stopped. A frustrating loss of that intoxicating fullness she had grown accustomed to. Her limbs were tingling, synapses firing on all cylinders. The overstimulation had almost been too much to endure, the aftershocks of that amazing sensation still jolting through her. 

“Remember what I said, Koda,” He says softly, brushing the hair from her eyes. “Relax.” 

Something began pressing inside-substantially thicker than before. Koda draws in a sharp breath, hesitantly opening her eyes when he whispers her name again. She had thought what preparations he had made would have been enough...but there was really no comparison. He had barely pushed past her entrance, but that familiar feeling of being spread apart and filled was back again. How much was left? She had to know. If she could just sit up enough to-

Crocodile doesn’t give her the chance. 

He quickly bends at the waist, covering her mouth with his own. She whimpers against his lips, grateful for such a pleasant distraction. It was less of a kiss and more a harsh press of lips- but it was enough to keep her senses focused on one sensation, rather than several less comforting ones. 

His hand sensually glides up her thigh, tucking underneath her knee as he lifted her leg into the air. Sweat had begun to bead across his forehead, the calloused ridges of his hand no longer dry and gritty from sand. It was cold. Clammy. 

Each subtle push forward was the loveliest form of torture. His breathing had become shallow, his scar crinkled in intense concentration. 

That cinch around his cock only grew more intense as he urged himself along. Koda was trying her absolute hardest to relax-feeling just as overflowing as he did. Telling herself to relax was impossible. Who could just make themselves relax? The more she tried to focus on anything else, the more she felt the urge to clench around him. 

“ _Fuck_ ,” He grits through this teeth, inching further ever so slightly. He angles himself to the left, hoping to find that overly sensitive sweet spot. He opens his eyes upon hearing her mutter something under her breath; a truly pitiful sound- somehow perfectly in between an elated sigh and an uncomfortable hiss.

“ _So good_. You’re doing so good, Koda.” 

She attempts to stutter out his name when he presses further, only to abruptly lose her train of thought. Her vision had gone white, stars bursting behind her eyelids. He had found that delicate bundle of nerves again-sending her ears ringing with every affectionate roll of his hips. 

Yes, that stretch was still present. But that muted burn that had once sizzled beneath the surface has finally faded into a somewhat pleasant tingling.

Then, he began to move. 

Koda tightens her walls instinctively, relishing the low groan that escapes his lips. His mouth was on hers again, hungrier than before. His hand leaves the crease at her knee to gently trace soothing circles over her clit, memorizing every little twitch in her facial features. 

“You really do look so-“ He shudders, his cock slowly receding before advancing again, less resistance than before. “- _beautiful_ stretched over me. It feels good, doesn’t it?”

His voice held that slight overconfidence she had come to adore. That tone he saved just for her, always present when attempting to vie for her attention. Though, it wasn’t without a hint of anxiety, she noted. His eyes had softened upon seeing her wince-and it finally dawns on her his question hadn’t been completely rhetorical. 

Koda mumbles something unintelligible, head falling limply to one side as she nods. He immediately stops, his hips still just a few inches away from being completely flush against her own. 

“Speak up, sweetheart.” He soothes, applying more pressure to her clit. 

Her back arches, long legs encircling his waist in a desperate attempt to urge him deeper inside. He groans again, falling into the crook of her neck. Never in his life would he have imagined someone so soft bringing him to his knees. 

His lips shakily kiss along her jawline-hoping to some sort of cosmic entity that she would allow him to move again. Just as he begins to apologize, her hands fly up to the nape of his neck, mouthing along the shell of his ear. 

“I said,” She says with a grin, humming when he shivers above her. “ _Faster_.” 

Crocodile’s hips promptly snap forward. 

All the air in her lungs is expelled in an instant. Koda hadn’t expected there to be that much left of him to go. She could feel him begin to pull back, so much so she thought he might pull out completely, only for him to surge forward-grunting as he quickened his pace. 

“ _Faster_ ,” He mimics her voice once more, mercilessly teasing her in hopes of receiving that adorable little blush. “It’s always faster with you, isn’t it?” 

_God. Fuck. Yes._

He gives her another harsh thrust, rubbing her clit in a continuous, wiggling motion. 

Had she said that out loud? 

He chuckles above her, rolling his hips with an impish smile. He buries his face in her neck, nipping at the soft skin near her collarbone. 

Oh _god_ she’d said that out loud. 

And then he feels it. 

Her walls fluttering in time with each stuttering breath. Her core tightening with each thrust. She looks up at him with wide eyes, almost in surprise as that rush of sensations was back again. Where her first orgasm had been steadily built up by the soothing ministrations of his tongue, this orgasm was the complete opposite. The feeling was so sudden, so agonizingly overpowering, it wipes every conscious thought from her mind. The tide hadn’t gradually swept in like before; it was a raging storm, every pulsating wave of pleasure ruthlessly crashing into the shore. 

He hadn’t forgotten where that lovely little spot was, and wasn’t at all shy in letting her know it. Koda’s legs unhook themselves from around his torso, his quick thrusts too rigorous to allow her to maintain their tightened grip. The limbs fall heavily at her sides, convulsing helplessly as her orgasm continued to pass through her.  

He continues this grueling pace for what seems like hours, the head of his cock directly brushing against those over stimulated nerves each time he moved. Koda could hear him attempting to speak to her, more cool air being blown across her feverish skin. She could hardly make out the words-everything sounded like electrical static, waves faintly crashing in the distance- though; she could feel the way his demeanor had changed. These were not gentle, rhythmic rolls of his hips. These were harsh, deep thrusts. Unyielding. Impatiently surging forward so as to reach their destination. 

This is what she had imagined sex with him would be like. Up and back, up and back; no sort of pause in between. 

Crocodile twitches inside her unexpectedly. He hastily pulls back with a hiss, steadying himself with a deep breath. Koda gasps for air herself, finally quiet enough to hear herself think. It’s then that it occurs to her those soft, elated, sighs filling the room with each thrust had been her own, lost beneath the ringing in her ears. He holds his hips in place, muttering all sorts of obscene promises until he felt it was safe to continue; pounding her into the mattress with an unrelenting, impetuous fervor. 

Her mouth falls open in pure ecstasy, every snap of his hips sending his balls smacking against her backside. That frenzied look in his eye had returned; that insufferable smolder that torturously seared across her flesh. Before she has time to react, Crocodile snatches her lower lip between his teeth-quickly nursing the painful sting with his tongue. It was an impressive feat, though one he was sure to regret come morning. 

“ _Koda_.” He growls, hovering on the edges of euphoria. She had never heard that tone in his voice before. So vulnerable and heedless, as though he had been longing for this for years. 

“I’m close,” He chokes, hoping to give her some sort of warning before it was too late. “Where would you like me to finish, sweetheart?” 

Now, this was something Koda had wanted to avoid. With such an infamously commandeering attitude as his, she figured he would have cum wherever he damn well pleased...but Koda had slowly begun to realize that she was the exception to his rules in every possible way. 

Where did she want him to finish? Did he really expect her to answer that? Her thoughts were so scrambled she couldn’t form a coherent sentence in her own mind. 

 _‘Inside.’_ The little voice in her head whispers.

No. Not that. His cum would be-she shudders at the thought-the thought of her cunt dripping with his cum...it was so dangerously tempting. But she was a coward; too shy and frightened of how he may feel about it. It was too new. Too sudden. 

“ _Koda_ ,” He half-whines, half-barks as his hips stutter. “I’m so close.” 

She says the first thing that comes to her mind, the thing she had been staring at for several minutes now, watching his cock disappear inside her. “S-stomach.” 

Crocodile grunts in approval. Though at this point, anything that came out of her mouth would have sounded just as enticing to him. 

He starts to pull out of her- inch by inch- savoring the sensation of her stretched around him as he gradually slides past her entrance. She whimpers when he’s finally free, that uncomfortable ache starting to break through her delirious haze. She hadn’t been prepared for this emptiness. It was both a relief and a disappointment; a sign that this was about to be over. 

She blinks her eyes open, wanting to watch every second of him falling apart. He sucks in a breath at the sight of her doe-eyed expression, lazily following the quick movements of his hand. Her tongue darts out to wet her lips, idly wondering just what his cum may taste like. 

He grunts again, his hand briskly fisting over his cock. His eyes screwed shut. His lower lip was now pinned beneath his teeth. Koda gives him a sated smile, cooing at him as his brow furrows. “ _Cum for me.”_

Thick, white stripes of cum spill from the glistening head of his cock, oozing into several small puddles across her stomach-save one drop, that landed just beneath her chin. Crocodile takes a stuttering breath, doing everything in his power to remain upright. 

His chest was heaving, limbs trembling from overuse. He opens one eye, hesitantly surveying the mess he’d made of her.

An overall feeling of satisfaction tightens in his chest upon seeing her so utterly ravished, but it was immediately followed by the urge to be clean. He mumbles a short apology upon seeing the thick glob below her chin, brushing the sticky liquid away with his thumb and wiping the excess on his briefs behind him. 

“I’ll be right back, sweetheart.” He says quietly, still out of breath. 

It doesn’t appear she’s heard him, or was conscious of her surroundings whatsoever. A beautiful glow has settled across her flesh, making her look positively serene in her somewhat comatose state. With a tired huff, he swings one leg over the side of the bed, retreating to the small bathroom for a wet rag. 

He lets the faucet run to allow the water to warm, pausing to take a long look at himself in the mirror. She had nicked him a few times with her teeth, a cluster of bites along his neck and shoulder. But it’s the state of his back that makes him shiver; raised pink lines clearly made by fingernails, scraping down his spine. He had hardly felt a thing, completely lost in pleasure as he was. 

Crocodile’s heart sinks a little. He hoped he hadn’t been too rough with her. He would hate himself if he had seriously hurt her, knowing she would be too polite to tell him after he’d gone. 

He finds a pile of clean rags beneath the sink, -along with an extra blanket, which he snatches for the both of them-grabbing the towel folded on top and dunking it in the warm water. As he begins to wring out the extra liquid, a subtle movement in the mirror’s reflection catches his eye. 

Koda had moved to brush a few hairs from her eyes; the damp locks sticking uncomfortably to her forehead. He smiles wistfully, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest. 

Looking at her now, he knew it would be too difficult for him to give her a formal goodbye. He was never any good at such things, and always felt there was more he should have said. Writing down his thoughts seemed much more appropriate. Though, he wasn’t sure she would share the same sentiment. Koda tended to wear her heart on her sleeve, as much as it pained her to admit it. He was sure she would prefer a goodbye in person- 

The water had turned scalding, burning his hand as it had accidentally hovered too close to the faucet. He curses, shutting the water off angrily. His mood was threatening to turn sour, several thoughts weighing on his mind, each more heavy than the last.  

He all but stomps out of the bathroom, tension abruptly falling from his shoulders when he re-enters. Koda had opened her eyes again, sleepily watching him with a mirthful smile on her face. 

“Hey.” She says through a yawn.

He snorts, beginning to wipe at the mess still pooling across her stomach. On the surface he appeared to be calm and collected, though that couldn’t be further from the truth. His chest felt tight, as though if he moved too suddenly, the strings holding him together would snap. But she didn’t seem to notice, too exhausted to comprehend much of anything. 

“Don’t stay awake on my account.” He said with chuckle, folding the wet rag into a tiny square once he had finished cleaning up. “You still need your rest.” 

She grumbles under her breath, random gibberish that had no sort of meaning. Without opening an eye, she raises the blankets, inviting him to get back in bed with her. She curls around his torso as he settles under the comforter, falling under the veil of consciousness within minutes. His fingers involuntarily roam across her shoulder, reluctantly watching the hands of his watch spin around the face. Since when had time moved at this pace? Just minutes earlier he could have sworn time itself had stopped just for them-only now for it to rapidly march on without giving them a second to breathe. 

He would give it a few more hours. Though, he would have to ensure he was the first one to wake on the island. He wouldn’t imagine the Amazonians would take too kindly to him stealing their secondary ship as his own. 

This was the right thing to do. The only thing to do. He just wished it wasn’t. 

______________

Koda awoke slowly, as she did most mornings. The sun was bearing down harshly behind her eyelids, still too bright to ignore even with her eyes closed. She grumbles, attempting to curl further into that warm, comforting embrace she had fallen prey to the night before. A sleepy smile curls around her lips, only to wither away upon discovering empty sheets. 

She pushes herself up against the headboard gathering the sheets around her midsection, as she suddenly felt far too immodest. That small movement alone sends a series of aches and pains shooting across several areas of her body. 

“Christ.” She curses, adjusting to get comfortable. She hadn’t expected her _entire_ body to be this sore. 

A sudden creak in the floors sends her heart racing, looking toward the shoji door expectantly. She clutches the sheets tighter around her frame-but as several moments go by and the door never opens, she relaxes again. 

Though, something catches her eye as she begins to look away. The remnants of a few grains of sand, coating the tiny lever that served to lock the sliding door. From the pile of sand littering the entryway, it appears he’d locked the door from the outside. Why would he lock the door if he planned on coming back? 

Unless...he hadn’t planned on coming back. 

She wraps the sheets around her, pinning the fabric down by her sides. She slowly rises from her position at the headboard, ignoring the sharp twinge between her legs. She eyes his green cravat that had been placed on the bedside table with care, folded meticulously as he did with every other article of clothing. 

Surely Crocodile wouldn’t leave something like this behind...right? 

She shuffles over to his side of the bed, shivering at how cold the mattress was. How long _had_ he been gone? _Hours?_

Koda fiddles with the silk fabric of the cravat, her breath catching in her throat when she sees what’s underneath; a folded piece of paper, with her name written in the center, in bold cursive lines. 

Tears begin to form at the corners of her eyes before she’s even touched it. She already knows he’s long gone.

She doesn’t want to read to read it. She can only imagine what could be printed inside. A brisk apology? A list of required remittances? Or...a formally scripted break up letter. With him, none of these were completely out of the realm of possibility.  

But this letter was addressed to her, in a script that could only be his own. She had to read it. 

With trembling fingers, she carefully unfolds the paper, taking a moment to admire his beautifully written words without truly comprehending them. She had never learned how to write in cursive; the lines needed to be carefully drawn, the letters seamlessly flowing together. Which, after eating her devil fruit, proved impossible for her quivering, five-year-old fingers to do. 

With a deep breath, she finally began to read, doing everything she could to keep her tears at bay. 

Don’t cry. Don’t cry. _Don’t-_  

“Koda-

Even as I sit here to gather my thoughts- _which is the entire purpose of this letter_ \- I still find it difficult to say what I want to say. What I need to say. 

I hope you won’t be terribly angry that I’ve left. Farewells have never been easy for me, even as rare as I’ve had to say them. But believe me when I say that this goodbye is the most difficult I’ve ever had to express-and by far the most genuine. 

In case it hasn’t become too obvious to the extent in which I adore you, let me be the first to tell you how much I do. You deserve to live a life that’s free from the heavy weight you’ve been carrying. While it isn’t ideal, know that there isn’t anything I won’t do to keep you safe, even if that means we have to be apart. 

Perhaps it’s selfish of me to do this without your permission, but unfortunately I’ve been known to be a selfish man. There’s nothing I’d like more than to see you smile-completely clear of any sort of uncertainties. When that day comes, I hope to have you by my side. 

I’ve received word that Daz is on an island near here- about a week’s trip south of the Calm Belt. We’re going to rendezvous there and set sail for the New World. I’ve instructed Straw Hat Luffy to notify me when you’ve left for the Sabaody Archipelago...though I do hope to hear from you before then. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for any reason. 

Lastly, do enjoy your beauty rest, sweetheart, though it’s not like you need it. I’ll be patiently awaiting your message once you receive this letter. Stay safe, Koda. 

Yours, 

 _Crocodile_  

Koda wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, that terrible pang of nausea loosening within her gut. He had left the island, but not in an attempt to leave her behind. He had left to do just the opposite. 

Any sort of qualms she had about his decision were pushed to the back of her mind, focusing her attention on that elegantly written word at the bottom of the page. 

 _Yours_. 

They wouldn’t be sailing for Sabaody for two entire years. Two years of time spent separated. He was really prepared to wait for her? Spending his time doing who knows what to defend her? 

She couldn’t begin to comprehend someone caring for her that much. He didn’t need to be doing this-throwing his life on the line just for her. But he had made up his mind. There wasn’t a single thing even she could say that would change it. 

She only wished she could have seen him off.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT. I know, I finally updated. Hopefully I can start posting regularly again. Thank you to those that have stuck around!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew, it's been awhile! But know that I haven't given up on this story and I completely intend on finishing it. thank you all for bearing with me!

Year I

January

Gathering a crew to the New World was surprisingly easier than Crocodile would have guessed. All it really required was a decent ship and consistent assets; a rare find in this part of the Grand Line. 

The moment Daz had begun to load the ship with supplies, a steady stream of followers had started to crowd around the large vessel situated in the harbor. Men of all shapes and sizes, goals and abilities, seemed to appear out of thin air; their tongues dragging at the thought of having the chance to set sail. 

And to set sail with a man as infamous as Sir Crocodile, no less. It wasn’t a bad deal, all things considered. 

The man in question sat restlessly atop a large shipment crate, his hook impaling the pages of a newspaper and pinning the thin pieces of parchment back while he read them. He flicks the paper open harshly as he feels several pairs of eyes trained on him, only for the crew to scatter about-nearly breaking their necks to get things in order. 

“You’re in top form today, Sir.” Daz mumbles, a hint of amusement in his voice.  

Crocodile growls as he raises the newspaper a fraction higher, in order to cover his sour expression. The action causes the leather band holding Koda’s vivre card in place to slip down his forearm. It had been annoyingly silent the last few days. He thought about removing it, keeping it hidden away in his coat pocket so as to keep it out of mind, but quickly banished the thought.

If there was an emergency, he needed to be aware of it. 

Since he had awoken that morning, it had been a compulsive, round-the-clock check of his wrist; impatiently waiting for a message to arrive. Seeing as it was now three in the afternoon...he has done this several times today.

He was starting to get on his _own_ nerves. 

“Anything interesting?” Daz says smoothly, gesturing to the paper. 

Crocodile grumbles something under his breath-rolling his coat sleeve over his wrist. “Not particularly.” 

He rustles the paper again, the movement almost violent as he simmered with irritation.

This is what she has reduced him to. Ridiculous.

But the forceful shake with which he had whipped his paper back open sends his coat sleeves sliding up his forearm-the sudden rattling of Koda’s vivre card catching his eye. 

The card was vibrating against the glass covering, shifting back and forth erratically. He held his breath as he expects the card to start peeling away at any moment, only for it to settle again, floating back down to the bottom of the glass completely unharmed.

He could only assume this reaction to the card was caused by her running, though he couldn’t be sure. It’s nearly given him a heart attack on several occasions, the incessant vibrating sometimes occurring in all hours of the night. 

And then the globe began to flicker. 

Crocodile rises abruptly, tearing the newspaper from his hook and draping it over the crate where he once sat. He stalks toward his quarters, only turning back to speak to Daz, though his eyes never left the light blinking in short bursts. 

“Raise anchor when ready. And don’t knock unless it’s an emergency. You have the coordinates don’t you, Daz?“

Daz makes a noise in the affirmative, but it doesn’t appear his captain is paying any attention.

With a brisk nod, Crocodile disappears inside his rooms-the faint _click_ of the door locking in place causing the crew to wander about lackadaisically, somewhat slack jawed. 

“What are you staring at me for?” Daz snaps, irritated with the lot of stragglers. “You heard him.”

They suddenly spring into action, the ship now teeming with the excitement as they embark from the harbor.

Daz only hopes it will last. The New World would be far more difficult to navigate through than the Grand Line, and most of these men hadn’t even made it that far. They would need the constant guidance and supervision that Crocodile was more than capable of, if he wasn’t so distracted.

Which seemed to happen more often than not these days.

_________

‘ _My father visited today.’_

Crocodile stares at the message as he finishes writing it, the quill in his hand reluctantly crossing the last ‘t’ with a sharp flick of his wrist. 

He didn’t like it. 

Rayleigh could have shown all the remorse in the world, and it still wouldn’t have amounted to much. Not to Crocodile.

Whether Rayleigh chose to accept it or not, this was _his_ fault. He knew the risks involved. Starting a family in such a desperate, lawless time. 

And to _follow_ her.

Who knows what sort of people were watching his every move, waiting for him to make a mistake. A mistake such as this one-going to visit his daughter and Monkey D. Luffy, both of whom were thought to be dead at the moment. 

 _Admiral Killer._ That’s what they were calling her. What a ridiculous epithet. Although it was technically correct, it was wildly over exaggerated. Killing Kizaru hadn’t been some sort of statement for her. It wasn’t a warning to all Marines, or some kind of omen for the next generation. Whoever had coined the phrase had clearly never met her, as she was the furthest thing from a cold-blooded killer he’d ever seen. But in that short amount of time, her infamy had skyrocketed; reporters and authors alike, culminating together to produce story after story of her wrongdoings-whether they be true or false. 

In her attempt to escape the limelight, she had inadvertently thrown herself back into it. 

He didn’t have to read them to know most were mindless drivel. But it didn’t matter. The general public was already eating it up. And Rayleigh decides that this was the best time for a family reunion? 

He didn’t like it. Not one bit. 

He stares back at the card, the edges fluttering against one of the curves of the glass. As much as he hated the idea, she had taken the time to tell him about it. She felt it was important enough to share, even while they were this far apart. And what was even more surprising is how much he _cared_ to know. She could have done nothing but watch the clouds float by, and he would be fascinated to know what she thought of them. 

With a steady hand and a defeated sigh, he covers the glass globe, and then slowly taps his response. 

‘ _How did you feel about that?’_

Her vivre card starts vibrating. She must be running again. 

Of course she was, the girl was always on the move. Whatever was weighing heavily on her mind must really be bothering her.

But the glass finally begins to glow once again-the card falling silent. It seemed she couldn’t do both at one time.  

Koda was still rusty in terms of morse code and it often took her much longer to respond than he did, who was practically fluent in it. Her responses were usually broken, illiterate phrases that he had to re-read several times before understanding the true meaning. 

‘ _Happy. I guess.’_

He smiles softly, picturing the way her lower lip would be tucked beneath her teeth. The way her brows would knit together as the rest of her face scrunched in irritation. 

_‘You guess?’_

The wait between responses was longer this time, as he expected it would be. Getting her to talk was no easy task, even if she happened to be the one to initiate the conversation. With only Straw Hat as company day and night, he hoped she was getting along well enough. 

_‘Not as happy as I want. I don’t trust him.’_

That was nothing to worry over. Anyone else in her situation would feel the same. He wanted to point out that she had no real obligation to have any sort of relationship with him, but quickly thinks better of it. That would only make things worse. The truth of the matter was, she did want a relationship with her father. But the work it would require was something she was not prepared to handle. 

But before he can respond, another message rapidly flickers in. 

_‘Never mind that. How was your day?’_

Crocodile frowns. It wasn’t like her to bring something up only to pointedly dance around the subject. Even as far apart as they happened to be, he could only imagine the mood she was in. Today had been a bad day. 

It’s not as though he could just ignore it. There was at least some part of her that wanted to talk, even if it meant being smothered beneath her other insecurities a moment later. 

He would have to coax it out of her. 

_‘Uneventful. I’m more interested in yours.’_

_As much as he tried, she continued to dodge every attempt he made at getting her to talk. He makes a mental note to ask her about it when he sees her next, though he expected it would be many more months before either of them had the time for one another._

_It ached just to think about. More than he’d like to admit._

 

February 

The brief and mild winter of the Calm Belt abruptly ended the second week in February. With such a pleasant change in temperature, the small island suddenly came to life with an abundance of newfound energy. What once was dead vegetation was promptly replaced with lush, brightly colored fauna. 

Slowly but surely, creatures both great and small around the island began to follow suit, filling the forest with its usual, comfortable vibrancy.

The eerie silence of winter was now behind them. 

The only downside to this was the larger beasts in the area have all finally awoken from their short weeks of hibernation-a fact that Monkey D. Luffy had been kind enough to discover first thing this morning.

Despite their strict training regimen, it did nothing to diminish his insatiable determination. The horrors of their hard-fought battles in the bitter cold of Marineford have finally left the boy’s mind, leaving him just as unbearably enthusiastic as ever. And while Koda was more than happy to see Luffy acting like his old self again, she wished it wasn’t at the cost of her own sanity. 

“Kodaaa!” Luffy shouts with a playful chuckle, his rubbery arms stretched to ridiculous lengths in order to restrain the giant animal currently wriggling in his grasp. “Do that thing with your haki again!” 

Koda narrowly avoids being gored by the beast’s unreasonably large tusks as she ducks at the last second. At this point, she isn’t sure if Luffy is tying to help her or get her killed. 

“I can’t do that on command! What are you, crazy?!” 

Luffy throws his head back as he laughs, his arms snapping back into place as he leaps down from the animal’s long tail. He delivers a well-balanced right hook to the creature’s jaw, shattering one of the smaller tusks that we’re currently prying it’s horrifying jaws wide open. 

“Just concentrate! It’s easy!” 

Koda sprints underneath the beast’s legs, the images of her whizzing past creating a series of mirages that its giant paw attempts to take a swipe at. It nearly succeeds in finding the real thing, tearing the precious silk cravat that was currently tied around her arm. The one that Crocodile had been so adamant about leaving behind. 

She can feel a thin stream of blood trickling down her forearm from beneath the silk fabric, though the painful sting was the least of her worries. Luffy notices almost immediately, however, stretching one of his arms over to her so as to quickly maneuver her away from the slightest hint of danger. 

When he was sure Koda was a safe distance away, Luffy charges toward the creature head on, screaming at the top of his lungs. This sudden rush of adrenaline releases his haoshoku haki, radiating off of his body in large waves. The animal falls to the ground in mere seconds. A deafening crash echoes about the island, sending several flocks of gulls fluttering away from their hiding places in the trees. 

It was more than an impressive feat, but one that Koda has already witnessed several times over. At the moment, all she’s able to focus on is the green fabric of Crocodile’s ruined cravat, now torn to thin ribbons before her eyes. 

“I’m really sorry about your scarf, Koda,” She flinches at the sudden sound of his voice, quickly tucking away the shredded piece of cloth. “You don’t think Croc-man will be mad, do you?” 

No. It wasn’t that. Crocodile had more than enough of these, she was sure. It was the fact that this only served as a further reminder that Crocodile wasn’t here, and she had a long ways to go before she was on par with both his and Luffy’s combat expertise. Time that they didn’t have to be wasting. 

Crocodile would just have to continue on alone. Ending her haki training to help him now would make matters worse, and could potentially get him killed in the process. 

She’d only be getting in the way. 

“Koda?” 

She lets out a defeated sigh, her shoulders rising and falling lazily as she exhales. 

“It wasn’t your fault,” Koda says with a soft smile, hoping it looked more convincing than it felt. She gives Luffy a playful punch on the arm for good measure, waiting to speak again until he gave her that familiar smile of his own. “I just can’t keep up with you.” 

Relief washes over Luffy’s features in an instant. This was something only she could overcome, and therefore, there was no sense in allowing him to worry over her. Underneath all his strengths and infamy was still just a boy trying to grow up. Koda could understand that situation better than anyone, and would be damned if she allowed anything to ruin such a childhood- whether he be King of the Pirates or not. 

“You’re always going to be faster than me Koda, you know that!” 

She gives him another playful shove as she stands, wiping away any remnants of dried blood she notices on her arm. What she hadn’t accounted for, was the paper from her vivre card, slowly beginning to fizzle away after having suffered such a small injury. 

The card has already molded itself whole again, though not that it mattered to Crocodile. She could already see he was attempting to contact her. She bites her lip to hold back the grin that’s threatening to stretch across her face, her fingers moving toward the glass covering before she fully knows what to say. Until-

“Hey Koda! Come look at this!” Luffy yells as he races toward the cliff edge, the intensity of their situation earlier clearly forgotten now.  

“Hang on a second, Luffy I have to-“ 

“But it’s a ship!” 

No one outside of Rayleigh and the inhabitants of Amazon Lily knew that they were here-or even alive for that matter. Rayleigh has been tracking the routes of all major Marine warships in the area, as well as any ships he felt were nearing the Calm Belt a bit too closely. 

None had ever ventured this far before. 

Koda appears at Luffy’s side in an instant, pulling him down below the tree line. She puts a single finger to her lips, a signal she’s come to find very useful when dealing with Luffy, if only for a short while.

“Keep your head down. We’re supposed to be dead, remember?” Koda says just above a whisper. 

The boy frowns as he crosses his arms impatiently. It’s become increasingly clear to her that Luffy isn’t accustomed to staying in one place for this long. She can see the look in his eyes as he watches the ship float closer to the shore. The way his pupils dilate as he hears the waves crash into the island. 

He misses being out at sea. As does she. 

But now certainly wasn’t the time explore. 

“I mean it, Luffy. Keep quiet.” 

She sneaks a glance at her wrist, the glass still blinking erratically as its previous messages had been ignored. But the ship was already upon them, preparing to dock at any moment. 

Crocodile would just have to wait. 

“Shouldn’t we at least check it out?” Luffy whispers. 

He was the captain, after all. It was about time she started taking orders from him, rather than giving them out. 

“I’ll be right behind you.”

Luffy nods once, a mischievous grin slowly pulling at the corners of his lips. Without any sense of hesitation, he wraps one rubbery arm around Koda’s waist, throwing her over the side and down to the shore below them. She taps his arm the moment her feet touch the sand, giving him the signal that the coast was clear. 

It doesn’t take more than few seconds for him to come bungeeing down after her. Whether the coast was clear or not, Luffy would have charged forward all the same. And while he makes it appear as though he has no intention of revealing himself, Koda was sure he would be the one to deliver the first blow if the need arose. That’s just the sort of person he is. And she could think of no one better to claim the title of King of the Pirates. 

Well...except for- 

“The Croc-man!” Luffy whispers excitedly, slamming his fist down to rest in his other palm. The sound shakes Koda out of her unexpectedly soppy daydream; one of warm smiles and gentle touches. Only now she suspected he had that familiar, flinty scowl etched across his features. She really should respond to him soon...

“He’s good at staying hidden, right? What do you think he’d do?” 

She suddenly thinks back to the night the two of them had believed Amazon Lily was under attack. The look in his eyes as she stepped out onto the deck, startling him to the point that he very nearly attacked her himself- it was a look she wouldn’t soon forget. Pure, unmitigated rage, without the slightest regard for maintaining secrecy. He would have torn their supposed intruders apart limb from limb. 

“He would...you know what? How about we... _don’t_ do what he would do,” She says quickly, hoping to change the subject before he can ask any questions. She looks down at the sand below them, using her finger to draw a rough diagram of the island, before continuing on with an idea of her own. 

"Watch. So you could go this way." She draws a line in the sand, marking out a plan of attack for the two of them. "And I'll go-Luffy!" Koda snaps, as loud as she possibly can in their current predicament. In the time she had taken to look down at her feet, the boy had already gone ahead, mere seconds away from boarding the ship by himself. 

She appears at his side in an instant, grabbing him by the collar as she tugs him back down. A noticeable cloud of dust and sand has risen behind her as she moved; making it easy enough to track them down now-if these so called intruders were competent- but surprisingly, there didn’t seem to be anyone aboard the ship at all. 

“ _C’mon_ there’s no one-“ Luffy begins to whine, only to have Koda clap a hand over his mouth. 

She carefully peeks her head up far enough to survey the deck, before coming back down again. Still quiet. For now. 

“Where do you think the crew went, huh? They didn’t just disappear! This could be a trap for all you know.” 

“A trap, you say?” A strangely familiar voice inquires from somewhere aboard the ship. 

Koda freezes-though not of her own volition. A cold sweat has begun to bead across her forehead as an eerie, constricting feeling paralyzes her from within. 

Try as she might, she couldn’t move a single muscle. 

But that voice...

She recognized that voice. 

Koda looks at Luffy to make a run for it, but in the blink of an eye, a hooded figure rains down on them from above- grabbing them both by the wrist and pinning their bodies further into the sand. 

“Koda...such a sorry excuse for a stealth approach.” 

Luffy violently yanks his head free from a pile of sand, completely unbothered by the entire ordeal. “Old man! We thought you were somebody else!” 

Rayleigh releases their wrists with a sigh, ruffling away the sand that remained tangled in Koda’s hair. She tears her arm out of his grasp without another word. Not so much as a meager hello. When he apologetically offers her his hand to help her up again, she pointedly ignores it. He supposed that was better than her slapping it away altogether. 

Rayleigh can’t pretend they’re close. He suspects they never will be again, not like before. But even still-he knows her well enough to know when something’s bothering her. And something is definitely bothering her today. 

That look was all too familiar to him; one of loneliness and turmoil. Such sad, defeated eyes.

He’d always been told they shared the same eyes. What once was a sweet sentiment now brought him nothing but heartache. 

 _‘Something’s happened,’_ He thought. ‘ _I certainly picked the wrong day for this...’_

“You wouldn’t happen to have some meat on this ship, would you?” Luffy asks rather impatiently. His arms have stretched themselves around the mast of the ship, ready to slingshot himself up to the deck at a moment’s notice. 

“Had I been anyone else, your last meal would have been your breakfast.” Rayleigh says with an irritated grumble, before turning his attention to his daughter- just as equally irritated as he is. “Honestly Koda, I don’t think I should have to remind you how important it is that you remain in hiding.” 

Koda’s scowl only deepens further. What exactly did he think she was trying to do? It wasn’t her fault Luffy insisted on getting himself caught. And yet, she was the only one receiving a lecture here! 

Luffy merely chuckles his lighthearted, carefree laugh, propelling himself up toward the mast where his arms were still wrapped around it. “I had it all under control, Old Man! Now where’s the meat? I know you have it!” 

Koda sighs and shakes her head at the loud snap of the boy’s rubbery arms shrinking back to their normal length. The noise echoes about the empty deck as he drops down from the mast- causing Rayleigh to lose his train of thought. And now that their focus was on the ship above them...they neglected to see who had joined them down below. 

“He’s certainly a handful, isn’t he?” A soft voice murmurs behind them. 

Koda’s heart drops upon hearing it. She turns so quickly it feels the world itself has stopped; as though she were suddenly moving in slow motion. Instinctively, she extends her fist to make contact with the intruder...only to have it intercepted before she can even get close.

“That’s no way to make a first impression.” Rayleigh says coolly, gently squeezing her fist in his palm. He nods once, giving her a reassuring look before wrapping his other arm around this mysterious woman’s waist, much to her amusement. 

This woman...the way he’s looking at her...the way he’s touching her-

Koda narrows her eyes at him. Just who the hell is she? 

"Ara? Is this the sweet girl you've been telling me so much about?" 

While her expression seemed genuine, Koda couldn’t imagine she was being anything but sarcastic. She did just try to hit her, after all. 

The way Rayleigh beams at her makes Koda’s stomach churn uncomfortably. So that’s what this was about. This woman is...

“Koda,” Rayleigh clears his throat rather awkwardly. “I’d like you to meet-“ 

“Hey! You’re that lady from Sabaody! The one who gave us all the food!” Straw Hat yells from the deck, his mouth nearly stuffed to the brim. “What are you doing here?!” 

The woman beams up at Luffy with a warm, tight-lipped smile, amusingly ashing her cigarette. She pulls away from Rayleigh’s arm at her waist to greet the boy properly, sensing her presence was less than welcome at the moment. Her hand lingers at his forearm briefly giving him one last boost of encouragement. 

As if Koda was sure to rip his throat out the second she turned her back. 

It seemed Rayleigh could sense the shift in mood as well. He carefully adjusts the frames of his glasses, clearing his throat once again. 

“Her name is-“ 

“Save it. I don’t need to know who she is to know what this is about,” Koda snaps. “I regret every day all the things I’ve forgotten about my mother. What’s your excuse?” 

“Listen to me, I haven’t- you don’t understand-“ Rayleigh begins sputtering as he attempts to string together a coherent sentence, but Koda doesn’t give him the chance. She’s already briskly walking in the opposite direction. 

Whatever he happens to come up with won’t reach her anyway. The only thing she can hear is the sound of her own blood pumping in her ears. 

”Dammit, are you ever going to stop running?” Rayleigh shouts, gathering the attention of both Luffy and their guest. Their pleasant chatter gradually dies down, their warm smiles wiped clean from their faces. 

The thought has always been in the back of her mind- running away. It’s all she’s ever been confident in remembering, all she’s ever truly excelled at. It’s pure instinct at this point; a gut-wrenching feeling that she refuses to let go of.

Rayleigh reaches for Koda’s arm, desperately trying to keep her close to him, only to draw back in surprise at the painful shock that tingles up his forearm. 

Koda doesn’t seem to notice. Or rather, doesn’t seem to care. A few loose strands of hair from her bun have begun to stand on end, a rush of static electricity surrounding her entire body.

Rayleigh stops in his tracks when he senses it-quickly realizing this was not a fight worth having. But it doesn’t stop him from calling out to her again, knowing that above all else, she needed to hear it. 

“When are you going to let go of all this anger?” 

Koda doesn’t bother giving him any indication she’s heard him but he’s certain she has. Her haki was charging rapidly, gathering so quickly he worries she may lose control of it. The second the question passes his lips, a sudden bolt of white lightning strikes the area where she once stood, leaving nothing but a miniature crater in her wake. 

Rayleigh sighs, rubbing away the tension pulsating at his temples. He turns to walk away, only to curse under his breath upon taking a step. Something has punctured its way through his sandal, cutting the bottom of his foot open. 

“You alright, old man? What happened to Koda?” 

“Shakky, Luffy, don’t come any closer.” Rayleigh says carefully, pulling the foreign object from his shoe.

Glass. 

He peers back at the intricately formed basin Koda left behind, squinting when the sun’s rays reflect back into his glasses. The sand had immediately turned to glass the moment it had been struck by that violent bolt of lightning. The glass itself remained hot to the touch, crackling as it slowly melds into place. 

“Dear? Is there something wrong?” Shakky asks gently, after several minutes had passed in silence. 

Even Luffy was surprisingly quiet. 

Rayleigh turns toward them after another short moment of introspection, throwing away the shard of glass with a false smile playing at his lips. “She’ll come back.” 

Though whether he was trying more to assure his guests or himself, even he could not say. He wasn’t certain about anything anymore.  

_________

Koda can’t stop herself from running. The voice of her mother rings clearly in her ears, begging her to run farther and farther- until she finally breaks through the tree line, nearly skidding off the island’s edge and into the sea. For the first time in what seemed like years, her legs were exhausted. Her entire body was exhausted. 

_‘Run, Koda!’ Her mother pleads her again, though she no longer has the strength to move._

_It’s the light from her sempiternal vivre that brings her back to the present; a simple message, consisting of four letters._

_K-O-D-A._

He’s clearly past the point of impatience. She can’t help but feel guilty for it, knowing she’d feel the same if their situations were reversed. She hates to make him worry. 

Koda plops herself down amongst a patch of soft grass, growling at the effort it puts on her thighs. Why was she so-

Oh. 

She finally has the chance to look down at her shins, which were bloodied and scorched black in some areas. The jolt of her haki hadn't just hurt her father, but her as well. 

It was nothing too severe, though she’d have to be more aware of this problem in the future. Her haki would be useless if it only hurt her too. 

The thought makes her seethe from the inside out. How could she be working on this for months with no progress to show for it? 

Crocodile is out there doing everything he can to help her. What has she been doing? 

Another message begins to filter in; the globe covering his vivre card illuminating the glass in short bursts. It’s a full sentence this time; Koda marks the amount of blinks on her arm to keep track of them all. They’re consecutive and precise, unhurried but urgent. 

He’s more than a little worried. 

_‘Do you need me?’_

Yes. 

She momentarily wonders if he’s already turned around. If he’s already changed his course in her direction, coming to her rescue...

But it’s not in the way he’s insinuating. She could never ask him to return for something so insignificant. 

Koda lets out a frustrated noise, somewhere between a groan and a sigh. As much as she misses him, she couldn’t tell him to travel so far under false pretenses. Besides, she can practically see his perturbed scowl from here. 

She hates that look. 

_‘No. Safe.’_

A few beats of complete silence pass before her vivre begins to illuminate again. This time, the blinks appear a bit slower and more relaxed. Yet, still precise and to the point. 

He wasn’t entirely convinced of her safety.  

For him, trust was never easily obtainable.

He doesn’t trust Luffy to keep her hidden, knowing full well that Straw Hat beats to his own drum, and certainly wouldn’t answer to him if he asked. He doesn’t trust Rayleigh to keep her hidden either, seeing as how this mess was all due to his own mistakes. 

Silvers Rayleigh could apologize until his voice went hoarse, and it wouldn’t mean a damned thing to Crocodile if there were nothing to show for it.

She can’t blame him. They truly are one in the same in that regard. 

_‘C-I-O-C-C-O-L-A-T-O?’_

Koda smiles softly, despite the barely contained rage threatening to spill over. 

Crocodile had suggested that they come up with some sort of code a few weeks prior, a simple code to ensure the other that they were, without a doubt, speaking to one another and not some sort of an imposter. 

_‘G-E-L-A-T-O.’_

Koda can practically hear his sigh of relief, followed the terse growl that would undoubtedly follow. 

_‘Your card was disappearing.’_

The story is far too long to tell him this way, and even if she were to manage it, she’s certain it won’t make sense. It would be so much easier if he were here. 

Everything would be so much easier if he were here. 

Koda bites her lip; her hand shaking as it hesitantly hovers over the glass. 

If she asked him to, would he really travel all this way merely because she asked? What would she even say? 

She can only imagine the annoyed glare she would happen to receive when explaining her supposed dire situation. The way he’d sigh as though he were about to explain some foreign concept to a child. 

But her loneliness wins out in the end. As it always has. 

_‘Where R-U?’_

Koda can picture the way his brow would be undoubtedly furrowed, narrowing his eyes as he writes her message out with his quill. She’s ignored his need for an explanation with another question, which would only serve to frustrate him more. 

Several moments pass with no answer. 

She sighs rather dramatically, believing he’d chosen to ignore her altogether. 

Maybe she should have lied. 

Besides, he knows she’s safe. He has no need to worry now. Why bother? 

But her downward spiral is short lived. As she begins to panic, his answer appears right before her eyes. Though, it does very little to settle the uncertainty nagging at the back of her mind. 

_‘Far. But not so far that I can’t reach you.’_

He’s left it open for her to decide. She’s always hated making split-second decisions, despite her mind always running a million miles an hour. 

Crocodile, on the other hand, thrived off of making split-second decisions. Hell, his entire life depended on his ability to do so.

Apparently, he now expects the same from her. 

 _‘What do you want?’_  

Koda can practically hear the impatience in his voice now. He’s likely stopped his ship; anxiously awaiting her messages, as he believed her life depended on it. 

She’s wasting his time. Time that was much better spent on doing other, more important things. But she can’t help it. Once she starts tapping away at the glass of the vivre, all of her suppressed emotions rise to the surface, desperately trying to be heard. 

 _‘Rayleigh replaced my mother,’_ Koda starts, before quickly adding, _‘He brought a woman here.’_

This is the part where he sighs again, pinching the bridge of his nose as though he were reminding himself to remain patient with her. She can see it now, the way his eyes suddenly turn sympathetic, preparing to disappoint her as gently as he possibly can. 

His message comes through a few moments later. Koda nearly asks him to send it again, for she can’t believe the words appearing before her. 

_‘So he should be alone?’_

The words stab right through her, like a knife swiftly plunging into her back. Of all the people she expected to agree with her father, she certainly didn’t believe it would be him. 

Why wasn’t he furious? Why wasn’t he angrily ranting about the irresponsibility of him bringing strangers to the island? Why-

_‘K-O-D-A. He can’t mourn forever.’_

Koda wants nothing more than to shatter that god-forsaken piece of glass into several tiny pieces. 

Why shouldn’t Rayleigh mourn forever? She certainly has. The only crystal clear memory she has ever had of her mother was her death. Koda wouldn’t dare suppress that memory, no matter how much she wants it gone. For if she did, it would be as though her mother never existed _._

She knows in the back of her mind that her mother was happy. Blurred images of lavender flowers and soft laughter, warm meals and gentle embraces. Koda knows in her heart that those memories are still there, despite her inability to picture them. But all she can ever remember is- 

As if Crocodile could read her own mind, another message begins to beam back at her, short and to the point. 

_‘You can’t either.’_

Tears begin to form at the corners of her eyes before she’s consciously aware of them. A single drop rolls down her cheek, landing atop the glass covering the vivre. 

She knows he’s right. In her heart she knows she could never tell Rayleigh to remain lonely for the rest of his life. She knows what it means to be truly alone, and she wouldn’t wish it on anyone, not even her father, who seems like such a stranger to her now. 

But Crocodile had remained alone. For years he had believed she had rejected him, perhaps never to see her again, but he waited all the same.  

Koda hastily wipes her eyes, straightening her legs as they had begun to grow sore. She covers the glass with her palm, sending her message as quickly as she could tap it out. 

_‘But you waited.’_

Miles from the safety of the Calm Belt, Sir Crocodile anxiously taps his fingers against his desk.

He’s never spoken to Koda about the years he spent alone at sea when he built up is crew, before eventually settling down in Alabasta. 

He did everything he could to forget her, once she had made her decision to stay with the Kotokami pirates. But nothing seemed to alleviate that desire to be with her. And while there were many nights he spent alone, true, there were also many nights...where he did not. 

The nights there were restless, long, and dry. They’re all a blur now; the images and sounds a rush of nauseating regret. He thinks of blonde hair and late nights, spent in the arms of a woman he never truly cared for. 

“It’s the Kotokami woman again, is it? When are you going to get over her?” She whispers in his ear. 

She always asked him that. It infuriated him to no end.

But he never did get over her. And for that, he’s more than grateful. 

He’ll tell Koda one day, but now was certainly not the time. The location of their next destination was farther away than he had expected, and they’ve already wasted a great deal of time this evening. 

She would just have to wait. 

March 

Crocodile adjusts his heavy coat over his shoulders. Despite its fur-lining, it did very little to aid his frozen torso. He growls as he stabilizes the wooden kabuki mask covering most of his features, letting Daz lead the way as they trudged along silently. 

He despises the cold. It was no secret that he couldn’t fight to the best of his ability in conditions like this, and in this area of the New World something like that could very well cost you your life. 

Both of them warily glance at any other person that passes them by, though no one pays them any mind. 

So far, so good. 

Crocodile wasn’t sure who happened to control this territory, and that thought alone put him on edge. There weren’t very many individuals who could keep something like that a secret from both pirates and Marines alike.

The entire city felt as though this ominous, unsettling feeling blanketed it, but none of the locals seem to notice. It was unnerving to say the least. 

Rayleigh had given Crocodile a list of coordinates he’d been investigating a number of years, places he suspects Valentine and his crew are holding up. 

With no luck thus far, and nearing the end of the list, Crocodile had become increasingly frustrated as time went on. 

This place, however...Crocodile isn’t sure what to make of this place. But the feel of it seems much different than the last few cities they’ve visited recently. As if they were on the verge of a breakthrough.

The pair duck into a back alley, following the surprisingly bustling crowd, only to find the city increase in size nearly tenfold; the center of town being a quiet, yet busy underground market. Daz looks at Crocodile in disbelief for a moment, before his lips settle back into a thin line. 

It was in their best interest to pretend they frequented this place, while simultaneously playing innocent. It was a difficult task for someone as imposing as he, as he was not one to be subtle. Hence, the mask. 

But before they can step foot in the expansive marketplace, the glass of Crocodile’s vivre begins to glow brightly, sending him scrambling to shield it with the palm of his hand. 

“You didn’t leave it on the ship?” Daz practically hisses. 

Although the kabuki mask covered his face, Daz was certain he was being rewarded with a scowl. 

“ _It could be an emergency.”_ He growls, watching the light slowly fizzle out. But as he mentally details the blinks to words, he sighs deeply. 

‘ _Haven’t heard from you in days._ ’ 

Damn.

It was true; he hasn’t spoken to her in several days now. He and his crew have worked tirelessly to find this lead. He wasn’t about to let it slip through his fingers.

Crocodile suddenly catches a glimpse of the familiar insignia of an intricately carved ‘M’ from Rayleigh’s notes. The sign was carefully hung above a decrepit little stall in the far west end of the market, cleverly hidden amongst most of the chaos. Hidden to most, except those that knew what they were looking for. 

But something wasn’t right. Despite this being their first and only lead, Daz was hesitant. The air surrounding them was tense, so off putting it causes him to stop dead in his tracks, only to continue his stride a moment later. 

“Something is wrong,” Daz mutters in a low voice. “Look at how they’re walking. It’s like these people are being controlled.” 

Crocodile tilts his head slightly, letting Daz know his observation has been noted. As he flattens the mask against his face, he feels an uncomfortable amount of eyes peering at his back. 

“The merchant appears to be different than the rest,” Crocodile whispers. “Everyone else is in a daze save him. He looks nervous.” 

Crocodile affixes his gaze straightforward, avoiding any unnecessary eye contact with those that were around him. For as many people as there were roaming the streets, the city was virtually silent. He quickly signals for Daz to act the same.

It wasn’t silent by mere coincidence. Someone was definitely listening.

Daz casually circles around the stand, mentally categorizing the inventory. It was full of junk; stolen pieces of jewelry, guns with missing parts, blades with poor craftsmanship, cheap, wooden figureheads carved for the front of small ships. It didn’t take a genius to know this wasn’t the real merchandise.

“You gonna buy something, big guy? Or are you just wasting my time?” 

Crocodile’s lips twitch beneath his mask. The man wasn’t just nervous, he was terrified. His eyes were sunken and bloodshot, clearly from too many long hours spent awake.

Daz idly shifts to one side, revealing Crocodile’s large frame; almost shadow-like beneath his layer of dark clothing. 

“This is certainly an interesting carving,” Crocodile lazily remarks, gesturing to the wooden sign as he spoke to the shop owner. “You did this yourself?”

The merchant gasps, fumbling with the laces of his boot as he shakily moves to brandish the knife now trembling in his grasp. Crocodile smirks, innocently holding up his hand. 

“Now, now, I’m only making polite conversation.” He cocks his head to the side, studying the carving with more scrutiny than before. It was indistinguishable from afar, but up close, there was no mistaking it. In the corner of the sign was the symbol of a Jolly Roger- only the skull certainly didn’t represent a human’s. The skull was that of a small creature, with long, canine-like fangs. 

After months of research conducted during his time on the ship, he’d come across an old folktale about a creature that had the ability to shape shift for the sole purpose of deceiving humans. While their true forms were unknown, they always took the form of a raccoon to start- shifting to whomever or _whatever_ they could imagine after rooting themselves in their victims minds. The demons then went on to be named “mujina”. 

His blood had turned cold upon reading the word, knowing fully well Koda hadn’t just imagined it all those months ago on the Kuja ship. She had seen it somewhere, permanently implanted into the deepest recesses of her mind. And though he couldn’t possibly know for sure, he was almost certain that was what the Jolly Roger was meant to represent. 

There would be no turning back now. 

“State your business or beat it. I’m warning you, I’ll-“

Crocodile cuts him off with a chuckle, hoping to save the poor man from further embarrassment. “You won’t do a thing from all the way over there. Not with a knife like that.”

The merchant falters, eyes darting between Crocodile’s masked face and Daz’s intimidating glare. 

“There’s no need to make a scene, now. Is this really how the Mujina Pirates treat their business partners?” 

The merchant’s expression changes completely. His eyes widen, his jaw dropping in absolute panic. He stutters to come up with an intelligent response, his focus now completely gone from the knife loosely held between his fingers.

“Y-you know Commander Ninomae? Please forgive me, sir! It’s just-well you must understand that we don’t have many visitors on this island.”  

Crocodile nods his head slightly, signaling Daz to make a move. His blade slices through the air, stopping just short of the man’s throat.

“Is he here?” Crocodile growls. 

“Boss, we should take this somewhere else.” Daz says quietly, feeling a few pairs of eyes shift in their direction. 

A sentient whip of sand whizzes out from Crocodile’s coat sleeve, taking hold of the merchant’s wrist and tugging him into the narrow alleyway adjacent from them. 

Before the man can scream, Crocodile clamps his hand over his mouth, growling under his breath. “If you do anything besides answer my questions you’ll be nothing but dust at my feet. Do you understand?” 

The man nods furiously, graciously thanking Crocodile when he lowers his hand. 

A faint twinkling light beneath Crocodile’s sleeve catches the man’s eye. His pupils dart this way and that, hoping to some higher power that this could be his chance to escape. 

It isn’t. 

The second Crocodile catches the peddler staring at his coat sleeve, he punches him square in the stomach. The man doubles over in pain as he wheezes for much needed oxygen, giving Crocodile a brief moment to review the message. 

‘ _I miss you_. _That’s all._ ’ 

Dammit Koda. Now isn’t the-

“This place has eyes and ears everywhere,” The man coughs, spitting a gob saliva onto the pavement. “They’ll kill me if I talk.” 

“And I'll kill you if you don't.” His reply comes venomously.

Daz grins, returning the blade running across his forearm to the merchant’s throat. 

“What’s wrong with the people on this island? What have you done to them?” 

The man swallows, whimpering when Daz’s blade presses harder into his skin. “Alright. Alright! It’s Ninomae’s devil fruit power, the Mirage-Mirage fruit! These people you see are figments of your imagination. The fog in the air isn’t fog at all. It’s...a sort of poison. I-It should leave your system by tomorrow.” 

Crocodile tilts his head toward Daz, not entirely convinced.

The blade at the merchant’s throat presses even harder. Enough to break the skin this time. He nearly screams in terror, but Crocodile catches it just in time, stuffing the man’s shirt in his mouth. 

“Why should I believe such a ridiculous story? What reason would he have to do that?” 

“Look at their-“ Crocodile yanks the man’s shirt out of his mouth, already fuming past the point of irritation. “Look at their faces and tell me you don’t recognize some of them.” 

Crocodile silently peers around the corner, now focusing on the faces of the people in the crowd. One stands out above all the others. Silver eyes and blonde hair. When the mirage catches him staring, it smiles sweetly- as though it were the real thing. 

He whirls around in a rage, slamming the merchant into the wall behind him. “What is this? What‘s the point in covering the entire island in a mirage?” 

“For information! Most mirages don’t last very long. Once they disappear, anything they’ve retained is returned to Ninomae. He sees everything. He _hears_ everything _._ Pirates entering the New World have to pass this island to get through to the next region. Looking for shelter, they stop here. The mirages continue to persist the longer you remain in the mist. Those who fall prey to it, tend to share secrets with those they trust-the mirages, I mean. He’s gathered most of his fortune this way.” 

“Is he here?” Crocodile asks again, his voice dripping with distaste. 

The man swallows again, careful not to move against the blade threatening to slice his vocal chords. “He only visits the islands every few months and was just here yesterday, I swear! I only know that he plans on meeting the rest of the crew at their rendezvous point further into the New World. Something about an old Marine base? I swear that’s all I know.”

A Marine base this far into the New World was certainly unheard of, though it couldn’t be ruled out completely. With a quick snap of Crocodile’s fingers, Daz lowers the blade from the merchant’s throat. The man sighs in relief, blubbering several tokens of gratitude while shakily wiping the blood trickling down his neck. 

“One more thing,” Crocodile says gravely. “Do you know of the Lavender Islands?”

The man’s face turns white as a sheet. He foolishly tries to back away, but quickly finds he has nowhere to go. 

“I-I know you who are. I can’t believe it...the sand-and you- _of course.”_ The man gestures to Crocodile’s mask, chuckling in a low voice _. “_ That Rayleigh girl. They’re _looking_ for you. Once they’ve found out you’ve been here, you’ll be done for. You can’t escape and there’s nothing you can do to save her.” 

Crocodile is frozen in a blind rage, torn between wanting to rip this man to shreds or keep him alive so they can leave quietly. Before he can decide himself, Daz does it for him. The merchant lifelessly slumps down the wall behind him, choking on his own blood as he attempts to speak. When he falls to the ground, a flare gun slips from the man’s fingers, skidding across the pavement until Crocodile stops it with the toe of his shoe. 

The mere mention of Koda’s name had thrown him out of sorts, igniting his bloodlust in a way he hadn’t expected. He should have easily been able to spot the gun. If she had been with them, would he have been able to stop it?

“Boss,” Daz whispers evenly. “We should go before it’s too late.” 

Crocodile adjusts the wooden mask over his face as it had become crooked during the altercation. He nods to Daz once, signaling him to take the lead as they did before. 

He doesn’t say a word as they casually make their way to the docks. He can’t help but think of Koda; what she could be doing, how she may be feeling in his absence. As if it could read his mind, in the center of the marketplace, stands the mirage he had been so captivated with before. He nearly stops just to admire her, finding himself hypnotized by those bright grey eyes. She smiles softly, giving him a half-hearted wave before disappearing in a cloud of mist. Crocodile curses under his breath as he keeps walking. 

Miles from the location of the hidden island, however, the first commander of the Mujina Pirates-Saiko Ninomae- hums in amusement. He takes a swig of his drink, burning the image of the masked figure and his associate in his mind. 

“Finally. Something interesting.” 

April

Koda’s feet skid across the mud and grime, rain dripping down her nose as she quickly sidesteps a rather large and gruesome looking snake during her lackadaisical run around the island. 

There have been many days recently where she has enjoyed running without the aid of her devil fruit. The exercise was refreshing, and the extra time it took always seemed to clear her head. More time to focus on the present, less time to focus on- 

“ _Koda! You’ve got to see this!”_

It seems she’s ventured off for too long this time. With a shallow exhale, she stretches her arms above her head until they were satisfyingly loose, before setting off again. 

Luffy’s voice was still quite a ways ahead, probably another mile or two down the coast. She could smell something delicious-definitely meat-cooking over the spit, the breeze wafting the scent in every direction. She began to pick up the pace, her stomach growling in anticipation. 

She was somewhat wary of what Luffy could be so worked up about. The boy is an insatiable ball of positive energy, constantly and easily excitable. It could be as disinteresting as an exotic looking insect or as serious as a Marine battleship headed for land.

She never knows how to prepare with that one. 

Camp was an outright disaster when she finally made it back. Their shelters were overturned, a week’s worth of water spilled messily over the campground, the burlap sack full of rations now torn to shreds. 

“Oh for the- _Luffy_! What happened?” 

He turns excitedly, stretching one of his arms over to the meat roasting over the fire and tearing a sizable piece away from the bone. He swallows the bite immediately, that large glinting smile appearing soon after. 

“Sorry, I forgot where we kept the meat again.” Luffy laughs heartily, reaching over to grab another piece. 

Koda exhales, beginning to pick up a few articles of clothing. “I told you, I tied it up in that tree so whatever the hell is in that jungle can’t get to it.” 

 _“_ Okay, okay but _Koda!”_

Koda angrily mumbles something under her breath, snatching one of her socks that had been wadded into the fire.

“You have to look at the paper that came today! It’s about Croc-man!” 

She freezes, dropping everything she had gathered in her arms in one disorganized heap.

It had been weeks since she’d heard any sort of message from him. His vivre card hadn’t changed in the slightest either. Any sort of news about pirates usually didn’t bode well for whoever had been mentioned; especially in the sort of places Crocodile planned on going. 

Koda snatches the paper from his hands in an instant, holding it up to the sunlight for a better view. 

“He sure looks like he’s been busy.” Luffy mumbles, a hint of jealousy in his tone. 

Indeed it did. The article spoke of Crocodile’s untimely arrival back in Marineford. He had evidently staged quite the riot while trying to storm their facilities, but not before assaulting several Marines in the process. The article seemed too dramatic to be the entire truth, and yet, for him to return to Marineford after a few short months was more than a little shocking.

What was in Marineford? What was he looking for? And more importantly, why didn’t he tell her? 

The photo they’d taken of him made him out to be a thug. Yet, underneath that menacing and dangerous expression he was still undeniably handsome. His hair had fallen into his face, obvious he had been in the midst of some sort of fight at the time. His strong jaw was set rigidly, teeth clenched in obvious irritation. 

Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. That dormant, wistful feeling suddenly overcomes her, becoming more apparent than ever. He had been so close to her and hadn’t bothered to say a word. Was he avoiding her?

She wonders what he would say if she asked him to come back; if he would reluctantly comply or downright refuse.

He did look busy, and she suspected this was mostly her fault. Begging him to visit at a time like this could only make things worse. 

“He looks like he’s having all the fun.” Luffy comments, his mouth completely full.

Koda hums as she continues to read, not really paying attention. Her eyes darted across the words on the page, hoping to find any sort of information on where he might be going. Of course there wasn’t. 

“He’s fine, Koda.” 

She frowns, folding the paper under her arm. But as she does so, a thin piece of parchment slips out from between the pages of the newspaper, before slowly fluttering to the ground. Koda quickly snatches the page before it can float away, recognizing the face in the photo instantly.

It was a bounty poster for Crocodile, though one that was updated with his most recent list of crimes. The picture they’d used was the same one from the article-the one that made him look like a brute, whose sole purpose was to wreak havoc on the World Government.

Koda couldn’t help but scoff. That face was nothing but a mask, concealing the truth that only she was able to see. 

However, it isn’t the photo that suddenly makes her stomach churn, but the bounty printed on the paper itself. 

320,000,000 berries. 

She had known the backlash from breaking out of Impel Down would result in something like this, but certainly not of this scale. Just what _had_ he done in Marineford? The article was vague, saying very little about the event itself and more toward Crocodile’s laundry list of crimes while maintaining his shichibukai status. 

Whatever he had pulled in Marineford was the nail in his coffin. While he expressed he knew the risks involved, Koda couldn’t shake this overwhelmingly guilty feeling that was swirling about her insides.

She’s responsible for this mess. Who knows who would be gunning for his head now? 

Crocodile certainly has a knack for turning his back on everyone. He’s made a multitude of enemies on either side; enemies that Koda was sure she couldn’t hold a candle to. 

It wasn’t as though she didn’t believe him to be fine; she knew that he was, if the sempiternal vivre was still accurate. But how long would it last? How many more times would he get lucky, before his luck would eventually run out? Without any sort of word from him, she could only imagine what his situation was like at the moment. 

Koda idly glances at the vivre, the palm of her hand dangerously hovering over the glass covering. She could contact him easily this way, that is, if his vivre was still on his person. She doubts he would lose something so important that easily. 

So why has he chosen to leave her in the dark? 

“Marineford is pretty close, right? You think he’ll stop by? I can’t wait to try out my-“ 

Koda sighs heavily. “I doubt he’s still around, Luffy.” 

Luffy rips another generous piece of meat off the skewer, swallowing the bite without the slightest bit of chewing. That large smile never vanishes from his boyish features, completely oblivious to Koda’s mood spiraling into disarray. 

“Did he say where he was going?” 

She grinds her teeth in annoyance, wanting nothing more than to throw that damned bracelet into the ocean. “No. He didn’t. You know what? Why don’t you try and ask him? You may have better luck than I do!” 

Koda unfastens the buckle at the bottom of the sempiternal vivre, closing her fist around the glass covering the card. She winds her arm up as she zips over to the cliff side, prepared to make all her problems disappear by throwing the stupid device into the ocean. Yet even as she nears the edge of the water, she drops her arm in defeat. 

She could never truly let go of it. No matter how frustrated she may be. 

She turns the bracelet over in her fingers, cursing when the globe flickers-indicating a new message had been sent. It would have been nothing but gibberish.

In any other circumstance, she would have sent him another message notifying him to disregard it, that it was nothing but a mistake. But now...what was the point? Would he even bother to question it at all? 

As the hours go by, Koda receives her answer. The vivre remained silent. 

May

Fog. Too much fog. 

His surroundings are blurry and without detail, the mist converging upon him in a way that’s almost stifling. It’s all he can do to press on-desperately chasing the screams that haunt him as he goes. 

If only the screams held no meaning; merely a disembodied voice that had no sort of definite shape like the rest of the vicinity. But he recognizes that voice. It doesn’t hold that lovely warmth he’s so used to hearing, but it’s her all the same. 

Koda. 

The sound of his own name echoes around every corner of this ominous and unsettling place, sending him into a fit of hysterics when he finds himself trapped in a series of endless paths and alleyways. 

Her name is at the tip of his tongue, his body so distraught, so terrified that if he happens to open his mouth she would truly be gone forever.  

Crocodile growls as he springs back into action, still frustratingly shaken from the jarring sound of her voice. It was too broken and indistinct to determine the direction from where it came. And as the seconds pass by, the sound drifts further and further away. 

In a split second decision, he chooses the center alleyway, hoping it’s the shortest amongst the others- only to find the path expanding before him as he goes. It’s there that he catches the briefest glimpse of her piercingly bright eyes-full of fear and desperation. She’s slung over the shoulder of a shadowed figure, the fog consuming its features to better disguise itself. Her hand reaches out for him, slender fingers extended as far as she is able to stretch them. 

But it’s no use at all. Koda was being taken away before his very eyes. 

“Please,” She shrieks again, much to the amusement of her captor. But as he finally begins to shorten the distance between them, he realizes in horror that this was not a plea for him to save her. “Stop! They don’t care about me, they want-“ 

The fog surrounding the inhuman figure thickens around Koda’s mouth, forming gruesome claw-like appendages that silence her in an instant. 

It does nothing to slow his frantic attempt to bring her back. She had always been quick to make the sacrificial play, throwing herself into dangerous situations merely to save others. It was a concept that had always been foreign to him.

Until now. 

Crocodile finds himself slowing down without meaning to, the gap between them growing larger by the second. His feet are too heavy, each step more difficult to take than the last until he's slogging through quicksand. No amount of struggling or wriggling would allow him to go free. It was too late. The fog has begun to crowd around him, settling over his skin as it holds him in place. And yet, as he glances back at Koda, she almost seems...relieved. 

Koda wrenches herself free from the suffocating fog covering her mouth, using every bit of strength she has to call out to him one last time. 

“You have to let me go!” 

 

Like hell he was going to let her go. 

But try as he might, the sand continues to pull him in. His limbs were unresponsive, constricted by the thick sediments now inundating his body. Yet, before his head sinks beneath the surface, he catches sight of Koda’s bright eyes, now turned lackluster as she disappears into the fog. 

Out of his reach. Forever. 

Crocodile wakes with a startled gasp, still believing he was being suffocated beneath his own sand turned traitor. While his eyes acclimate to the darkness, he finds himself covered in the filthy grit; mounds of sand sitting in neat little piles, outlining his figure as he had begun to use his fruit involuntarily. 

It’s then that he realizes how tight the blankets are in his grasp. He lets go of them shakily, only to find they’ve been completely desiccated by his touch. 

With a low growl, he kicks what’s left of the sheets toward the foot of the bed, his hand frantically reaching for the vivre he knows is sitting atop the nightstand. 

His heart nearly drops upon glancing at the card.

Koda’s vivre appeared to be torn in half; the moonlight beaming against the glass covering playing a cruel and rather ill timed trick on him. Once he realizes the card is perfectly in tact, he gently holds the glass in his hand, as though the action would bring comfort to the both of them. 

“Just what is this woman doing to me?” He whispers, unable to explain it himself. 

Crocodile wonders if he should attempt to contact her, though one glance at the clock drains him of any ideas at making small talk. She had most likely been asleep for hours now. 

Besides, what was he to say? ‘I had a nightmare you were taken from me and wanted to make sure you were fine?’ 

Utterly ridiculous. It was a dream and nothing more. It would be a waste of time to bother her over something so trivial. It was due to his own weaknesses that he held these doubts, and expressing them may only bring her more stress. 

He sets the vivre back down with a defeated sigh. No message would convey how he truly felt and no amount of explaining would get her to understand. These were the times he missed her the most; when his thoughts ran wild without any sort of break, each nagging rumination growing more disturbing than the last. 

Koda had a strange talent for silencing these moods when they arose, simply by remaining in his presence. But going to her now would be foolish, especially after what he’s just done. After all the enemies he’s made. After the target he’s so carelessly placed at his back. 

As Crocodile stares at the ceiling, he knows sleep would be impossible to succumb to now. And yet, that was the least of his worries. 

June

Koda stops wearing the sempiternal vivre every day. 

She tries to tell herself it’s to protect the glass, since their haki training had become more rigorous as time went on. But as the days slowly crawled by, the lie proved too difficult to maintain. 

The truth was, she despised the damn thing. 

Koda couldn’t think of the last real conversation she had with Crocodile. He had never mentioned a word about Marineford and she had decidedly kept her mouth shut about the entire ordeal. His messages have dissolved themselves into a variation of the same question,- “What have you been doing?”- and even those messages have become a rarity now. 

She suspected this was his way of calming his own insecurities. To be certain she was, in fact, still alive. For any time Koda made an attempt to ask him the same, she was only met with silence.

So there the vivre sat- wrapped in the strips of the green cravat Crocodile had carelessly left behind- gathering dust as it sat atop her other belongings in the safety of her shelter. 

Where winters in the Calm Belt were comfortably warm, the summers were overbearingly sweltering.

The sun always shone brightly overhead, without the slightest hint of cloud cover for miles. So as the weeks passed without any sort of word from Crocodile, Koda continues to disregard the vivre she used to cherish so much. The thick ring of pale skin where it once sat vanished in no time at all.

As though it had never existed. 


	12. *REWRITES*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *

Hey everyone! I wanted to let everyone know I’m planning on rewriting the first few chapters so everything flows well with the new chapters. I’m still working on continuing the story, but I wanted to touch some things up first. Hope you all enjoy! Chapter 1 has been rewritten as of today ;)


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